Kingdom Come
by MissusSlimShady
Summary: Rin's life is already planned for her. A perfect princess, in a perfect castle, in a beautiful kingdom. But when war brings a neighboring prince into her home, she begins to wonder if there is something more for her in this world. Art is by pixiv user Vima
1. Chapter 1

The moon was high in the sky when a messenger sprinted up the steps of Khaesea Palace.

He wore a tunic of bright orange, though it was tough for the guards to discern this in the dim moonlight. It was a dark night, the sky littered with dark clouds.

"Halt!" One of the guards yelled at the panting boy. He could not have been more than 13 years old. "State your business."

"I have an urgent message for the king!" He nearly wailed, unable to control the emotion in his voice. He had come a long way, ran for nearly an entire day and night. He had not spoken since his sudden departure, and his hoarse voice surprised even him.

"What is this message?"

The messenger boy lowered his eyes. "It is for the king's ears only."

"I cannot let you in without this knowledge."

"Please!" He yelled once more, pulling a rolled piece of dusty, ripped parchment from his tunic. "He must see this. Now!"

The guard stepped towards him, taking the scroll from his dirty hands. Turning it over, he recognized the bright orange wax seal of Acacia Falls.

His breath caught in his chest. After a moment of staring at the seal, he rose his eyes to the boy.

"The kingdom has fallen," he whimpered. "We need Khaesea's help."

The guard's heart began to beat furiously in his chest. "Come. I'll take you to him."

The castle halls were quiet in the night. Candles lit only the widest of hallways, leaving many of the paths to the king and queen's chambers unlit. Their only hope of sight in these passageways was a small lantern the guard carried, and the occasional window overlooking the mountains surrounding the city.

It was a long walk to his quarters. He's not going to like this, the guard told himself with a gulp. Waking the King in the dead of night was a death wish. But the messenger boy was right. This was an emergency.

The boy could not believe his eyes. Though he served the royal family of Acacia Falls for years, never before had he seen a palace with such grandeur. Statues of past kings littered the halls, along with magnificent paintings and banners that must have taken artists their entire lifetime to create. If he had not arrived here on such grim terms, he would have been excited.

Nearly fifteen minutes had passed before they turned the hall leading to the chamber. The doors were guarded by another pair of soldiers, the king's personal guard, who cast suspicious looks at the odd pair walking up the hall.

"Name, soldier," the one on the left said softly, as to not wake the royal couple. Behind the wooden double doors, a fire crackled.

"Harrison, sir," he declared, stopping in front of the doors. "We have an urgent message for the king."

"He is asleep. Come back in the morning."

"He must hear it now!" The boy squealed, earning angered looks from all three soldiers. "Acacia Falls has been attacked!"

Before either member of the Kingsguard could open their mouth, the double doors swung open, revealing their leader himself. He was still in his silk underclothes, likely having just run from his bed. The very air around him seemed to shimmer at his presence, despite his generally kind nature. He was King Brighton, a powerful man, owning a title which by itself could make any grown man tremble. "What did you say, boy?" He boomed, the thunderous voice echoing down the dark hall.

The boy was not grown yet. "Acacia Falls," he repeated, proudly keeping his head high even in the presence of the King. "We have been attacked." He held the scroll out to Brighton, who swiped it out of his hand.

He eyed the familiar seal before nearly tearing it open, eyes moving across the words. The letter was hastily written, no doubt by his dear friend, King Kagamine himself. His handwriting had never been the best, but this was barely legible. No doubt, this had been written just before, or perhaps even as they were evacuated from their palace. An attack from the Yuzuki Empire, the letter read. They had not stood a chance.

"What is it, dear?" A gentle voice sounded from behind the king. A flash of long, blonde hair was enough to make the guards lower their heads in respect for the queen. She, too, wore only her nightclothes.

"The Yuzuki's have attacked Acacia Falls," he stated.

She took in a quick gasp of air. "And the Kagamines?"

"They seem to have escaped." He clutched the letter in his hands so tightly, the paper began to tear.

"Where will they go?" She asked, thinking of the several young children of the family. She had met them once, long ago, when the family's fifth daughter was born.

"I do not know."

The queen stared down at the hastily-written letters. "They must come here," she decided after reading through it herself.

The messenger boy's heart skipped a beat.

"What? Are you mad? They will bring the whole kingdom with them, no doubt!" He argued, knowing full well that he could not abandon his closest friend and comrade.

"The people will help them. Build them homes. We must help them recover." She laid a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder. "They did not abandon us when we were in need, Bruno. We must help them."

The king did not look up from the letter, trying to imagine a perfect world where there were no food shortages or harsh winters, a world where he could take in their people without worry for his own. He knew that no such world existed. However, he also knew that he could not betray their allies.

"Tell your king that he, his family, and his people are welcome in the city of Khaesea," Bruno Brighton told the small boy with a frown. "Tell them that we will be expecting them soon."

Only then did the messenger boy fall to his knees. "Thank you! Thank you so much, King Brighton. I don't know what we would have done without you."

The boy's groveling did nothing to improve the king's mood. "Leave now." He put a hand on the door, looking up at his soldiers. "Someone get this boy a horse," he demanded, before slamming his door shut.

He did not sleep well that night.

As the sun rose over the prosperous, riverside town of Khaesea, one of the princess' handmaid's pulled the curtains back from the large windows in her sleeping chambers. "It is morning, princess," she said softly to the sleeping figure across the room. "Time to wake."

Rin shifted in her bed, sitting up and squinting her eyes at the harsh sunlight as it entered her room. She stretched her arms overhead, offering a smile to her maid. "Thank you, Miku."

"We thought you were going to be much harder to wake today," said Luka, her second handmaid, from her position near the door. "You were snoring when we came in."

Rin giggled. "I was dead to the world."

"Well, now that you're alive again," Miku began, walking over to the wooden mannequins wearing Rin's clothing options for the day. "It is time to decide what to wear."

"What does my day look like?" The princess asked, surveying the dresses with a smile. They were all so grand, so beautiful. She would have a hard time deciding on just one.

"You will have breakfast with the king and queen this morning," Luka began, her joyous expression faltering a bit. As best she tried to hide her true emotions from the princess, Rin was much too attentive.

"Is something the matter?" She asked, worry creeping into her tone.

Her handmaid's exchanged glances. It was Miku who spoke. "I will leave your father to tell you the news."

The air in the room grew heavy.

"After breakfast," Luka continued, eager to change the subject. "You will have lessons with Mei. You are studying the continents, I believe? Then, your violin practice…"

Rin had decided on the most plain of the three dresses. The bodice was light blue with simple, white lace patterns embroidered in the shapes of branches and leaves of a tree. The silk skirts hung loosely past her legs. No matter how simple her dress was, the princess shone with a beauty that was unmatched anywhere in the kingdom. Even in rags, she would still hold the grace and the air of a goddess. Her handmaids walked on either side of her through the halls.

She entered the breakfast room with some hesitation. From the looks Miku and Luka had exchanged, she knew that the news could not be good. Misfortune had avoided Rin's life, and she was thankful, but to hear the tales of others was something she bore with a heavy heart. She wanted nothing more than a peaceful world, filled with smiling people and love. She knew her wishes were unobtainable.

"Father," she said, bowing her head with a small curtsy in his direction at the head of the long table. Behind him, the fireplace was unlit. "Mother." She repeated the process with the woman sitting across from him.

"Sit, Rin," she said with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

The princess did as she was told. Her maids stood at the wall on either side of the doors through which they had entered. "I feel great," she told her mother with a smile. Like her, the queen was adorned in a dress of light blue and white - their house colors - though her dress was much more extravagant.

Her father took a sip of wine from his chalice. "There is news from Acacia Falls."

Rin's gaze snapped to her father. Her heart dropped. She knew they had been at war, but-

"The city has fallen."

Rin looked down at her plate, filled with fruits picked from the gardens and meat from a freshly-slaughtered boar. "How?" Was all her tiny voice to ask.

"The Yuzuki Empire attacked them two nights ago. Their messenger arrived last night."

"Don't worry, daughter," the queen offered with a smile. "The royal family will be coming to stay with us in the Keep."

"And their people?" The young girl questioned.

"They will be with the citizens below." the king set his fork down, his chin wet with grease from the boar. The sore news had not stunted his appetite. "I have already sent the orders to begin building them homes."

Rin felt a small flash of relief, but that did not stop her sorrow for the Kagamine's lost home. "How far will King Yuzuki go before he is satisfied?"

"Only time will tell," her father said. Then, sensing his daughter's fear, he added "Don't fret. He would be foolish to even think of attacking our home. We have the largest and the most loyal following in the lands, and he knows this."

"I am sorry for the royal family," Rin admitted, still staring sadly at her full plate of food. She had no desire to eat.

"They will be safe here. They are lucky to still be alive," the queen offered. "Their people as well."

"What of the little girls?" Rin had never met the children, but she had heard stories of their beauty and mischief, and she admired them.

"They are fine," the king answered. "As is their son," he added curtly, digging into his plate once again.

The oldest child of the family was their only boy, another Rin had not met. She wondered briefly what it would be like to have five little brothers. She could not imagine.

"Which is another thing we wished to talk to you about," the king continued with a full mouth.

Rin furrowed her brow, finally looking up from her plate. "Their son?"

"He is… a troublemaker," the queen pointed out.

Bruno laughed at this. "He is a hellraiser, that's what he is. And he is just over your age." He wiped his chin with a handkerchief, looking at his daughter intently. "We wish for you to avoid him."

"Avoid him? Why?"

The king opened his mouth to speak, no doubt to offer his foul opinions on the boy, but the queen spoke first. "We do not want him to negatively influence you," she said, looking at her husband with a quick glare. Even if the boy was trouble, he was still going to be their guest. And he was the son of their friends, soon to be the king himself. "Plus, you are betrothed. It would be inappropriate to mingle with other men."

Rin did not answer, flinching her gaze to her meal. Her hands were folded in her lap. At the talk of her future husband, she began to fiddle with her dress. "When will they arrive?"

"Likely tomorrow morning," said the queen. "We are preparing the eastern wing of the palace for them."

"As unfortunate as the circumstances, it will be very nice to see Ken again," King Brighton admitted. "It has been a while."

"I would love to see how big that little Alexandria has gotten," the queen added with a smile. She had always loved children.

Rin said nothing, picking occasionally at her food until she was finally excused to her lessons.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey, sorry for, like, disappearing a year? I had the worst case of writer's block and year one of college was pretty crazy. But I'm back! And I hope you guys enjoy reading this one, because I really enjoyed writing it :) _

_Enjoy! _

It was early the next morning when the horns sounded from the city gates, echoing up the miles of streets until they reached the courtyard of Khaesea Palace. The guards called for the Brightons, each dressed to display their power and grace. The caravan of citizens, led by the two carriages containing the royal family themselves, marched through the streets of Khaesea with somber looks. They dispersed into the city, looking for food to buy or places to house and bathe their dirty, tired families. The refugees had no interest in the welcoming ceremony about to take place in the courtyard of the palace.

The citizens of Khaesea, however, had crowded into the courtyard until it was filled to its brim, with people standing shoulder to shoulder, crowding to get closer to the entrance of the palace, where the Brightons stood proudly. Only the marble walkway stretching through the middle of the yard, guarded by men in blue and white armor, was empty. The citizens' interest was not in the king or queen, however, but the princess.

Rin stood at the top of the tall, wide staircase to the palace, smiling and waving at her people. A king was nothing without his people, according to Rin. As was a princess. She adored them, often sneaking away (much to her father's distaste) during events like these to mingle with them, hear their wishes, their burdens, their fortunes, and misfortunes. She was at least sensible enough to bring guards with her. She was unable to sneak away today, however. Too many eyes.

When the people of Khaesea thought of the leader and guide to their hometown, they did not think of the king. He did not leave the palace to hear their voices, he did not help them when they were in need, and he did not show his love and care for them outwardly as Rin did. At least, he did not do any of these things in person. They did not resent the king or the queen, but Rin was the face of their affections, the shining beauty on the throne. And they adored her.

Only when the palace gates opened did the people turn their eyes from her.

Two carriages, adorned in tapestries of orange, yellow, and white wheeled slowly into the courtyard, pulled by two strong stallions each. Guards bearing the same house colors marched with them, tall spears in their hands. Rin could not help but notice to rigidity in their movements, and could not decide whether it was due to their tight military formation, or their tense moods. Leaving a destroyed home could not be an easy feat. These men could have lost their families in the bloodshed.

The carriages pulled to the side, the first opening its doors. Rin watched curiously as steps were lowered from the door, and a man and woman emerged from inside. The cheers of the crowd were deafening as they waved. Rin smiled. Her people definitely knew how to give a warm welcome.

King and Queen Kagamine were followed by two small children, both girls, out of the carriage. They ran on small, clumsy legs towards the tall stairs, laughing and tugging at each other's dresses. Rin's mother lit up at the sight of them, and she clasped her hands together in delight at the sight of their play. With the first carriage empty, the second pulled around, opening its side door just as the first.

Ken and Kaori Kagamine had reached the top of the stairs with their two youngest children and were in the process of greeting Rin's parents. All eyes in the courtyard were on their friendly interactions, but Rin could not help but eye the second carriage as their four oldest children stepped out. Her parents had sparked her girlish curiosity, and she was eager to catch sight of this troublemaking son she was to avoid.

"Lily!" Queen Kaori greeted Rin's mother with a smile, hugging her tightly.

"We owe you everything, brother," Ken clasped his hands into Rin's father's. She tried to recall the story of when the two met. She believed they had fought alongside each other in a war long, long ago.

"You owe us nothing," he answered, smiling kindly back. He had been hesitant to let him into the kingdom, and only now did he feel a pang of guilt at the thought. He had made the right decision letting them come.

"Would you like to hold her?" Kaori asked Rin's mother as she picked up one of the small girls running at their feet.

Rin waited for her turn in the introduction line, staring intently at the second carriage.

The first to emerge was another one of their girls, probably around the age of ten, holding onto the hands of one of her little sisters to help her down the steps. The two of them walked towards us, waving shyly at the unfamiliar faces. Rin did not know all of their names, only that the youngest one, the one her mother was now holding, was called Alexandria.

The third to emerge was the oldest daughter, a girl of about fifteen, dressed in her finest robes of orange and yellow. She stopped at the bottom of the steps, her expression twisted into one of unease and fright. Rin felt the urge to run down the stairs to comfort the poor girl, possibly the only one old enough to really understand what had happened to her home. But before she could, the girl turned her head back into the carriage to call to the final occupant, her older brother. She was scared to walk alone.

The prince emerged with his sister, guiding her towards the rest of their family.

Rin wasn't sure what she had expected, but she was surprised nonetheless. The entire family, with the exception of the prince and their second youngest daughter, had dark brown hair with caramel-colored skin and deep brown eyes. The prince, along with one of the daughters - (Lenka, she heard her mother call her) were the only two that seemed to be the pale opposite, with lightly colored hair, fair skin, and piercing blue eyes.

Perhaps that is why they are named so, Rin thought with a smile. Lenka pulled at the bottom of her dress at that very moment, marveling at the light blue. Rin smiled down at the girl, ripping her eyes from the prince for the first time as he walked up the stairs.

"Pretty," Lenka said in a small voice, staring up at the older princess in wonder.

Rin smiled. "I think you're the one stealing the show," she said, reaching down to pick up the small girl. Lenka let Rin lift her from the ground, marveling at the intricacies of her dress.

"Lenka!" Her mother worried, moving over to the princesses. "How rude!'

"It's quite alright," Rin waved her worries off as if batting a fly. "She is a wonderful girl."

Kaori smiled. "You've grown up," she said, fighting tears. "You know, you were the first girl I ever had," she said, looking over at Lily with a smile. "Your mother and I used to fret over what to dress you in for the day for hours." She laughed at the memory. "And now look at you! I have never seen silk finer than this."

Rin smiled, sitting Lenka on her hip. "Perhaps I can show you my collection once you've settled in."

The foreign queen beamed. "That would be wonderful. Come now, Lenka. We must let the princess acquaint herself with the others." She held her arms out for her daughter. Rin handed the girl to her mother, coming face to face with Ken Kagamine.

"Princess," he said, bowing to her. Rin felt suddenly uncomfortable. A king, bowing to her? She had known this was going to happen but did not fathom how wrong it would feel.

"Please," she said, eager for him to stand tall once more. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Tales of your kindness have traveled far across the land," he said with a warm smile. "My people are eager to meet you."

Rin's heart warmed. "I would love to."

He gave her one more thankful nod before taking his place beside his wife. Two powerful families standing next to each other on the palace grounds was enough to make the crowds cheer even more. The foreign king and queen waited for their daughters to introduce themselves as they had.

One by one, Rin smiled at the princesses, who all looked up to her with amazement. It was true, what their father had said about her. What everyone had said about her. They recalled the stories of her violin, said to enchant the animals so that they flocked from the wilds to listen. They thought of her influence over the politics in the city, rare for a queen but even more so for a young princess. And they thought of tales of her kind blue eyes, so genuine and so easy to surrender to. Even the proudest of the Kagamine daughters bowed to her.

She did the same in turn. They were all wonderful, beautiful, smart, inquisitive. Rin could not wait to get to know them under less formal circumstances.

Her gaze returned to the stairs, where their oldest daughter, along with the prince, neared her family. Rin felt her heartbeat quicken. She made the mistake of catching his eye, meeting that icy cold stare head-on.

He didn't have the shame to be embarrassed for staring at her, or looking away when she caught him. Rin shifted uncomfortably, feeling as if his intense gaze were looking right through her. Even then he did not break that gaze. She blushed and looked down at her hands.

"King Brighton, a pleasure," the prince's dark-haired sister greeted Rin's parents. "I thank you for everything you've done for my family." She curtsied to the king.

He smiled. "Your family feels more like an extension of my own."

She smiled back, but Rin could tell it was forced. She doubted the Acacia Falls princess had any ill will towards her parents, but it did not surprise Rin one bit that she had difficulty maintaining a happy face.

"My Queen," she moved onto Lily. "My sisters were so excited to see you again."

The queen beamed. "They have grown to be so beautiful. As have you."

Before Rin knew it, it was her turn.

"I don't believe we have met before," Rin began with a friendly smile.

The princess faltered with her words, startled that Rin had addressed her first. "N-No, we haven't."

She held out a hand to the younger girl. "My name is Rin," she introduced herself while holding onto the Acacia Falls princess' hand. To Rin's dismay, it was trembling.

The brunette took a deep breath. "Kokone," she said simply, looking down at Rin's dress. "My name is Kokone."

Rin was desperate to ease her pain. "I think we will be great friends, Kokone," she told the girl as warmly as she could.

But it did not seem to have the effect she was hoping for. Kokone nodded towards her, before letting go and moving on to stand with her family.

And then, the prince.

King Brighton immediately lost any trace of a smile he had had while meeting the rest of the family as the prince stood in front of him. He was nearly as tall as the king, and almost as intimidating as well. An awkward silence passed between the two as Rin's father waited for him to speak first.

Rin took a deep breath. Apparently, the dislike between these two was mutual. She wondered who else knew about the prince and his… disrespectful tendencies. She noticed the cheering of the crowd die down, and, with great horror, realized that they, too, sensed this uneasy alliance.

"It is so nice to meet you, prince!" Rin suddenly yelped, desperate for them to speak. She earned harsh looks from both of her parents. "It's strange how our fathers are such good friends, and yet have waited until now to introduce us."

She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, desperate for him to say something.

But the prince only stared, eyes shifting from Rin's father, to her mother, to Rin. Finally, he spoke.

"Bruno. Lily." He offered a nod to both of them, nothing more. Then, stepping to Rin, nearly close enough that their noses were touching, "Princess."

And that was the extent of his formalities. He stepped away to stand with his family.

The cheer of the crowd quickly died down at the prince's poor excuse of respect towards his hosts. Specifically, towards Rin. She stood still, nearly too stunned to move, before forcing a wide smile through her surprise. "Father," she called. "It's time for celebration!"

King Brighton was still fuming over the prince, casting glares in his direction while his parents both frowned, keeping their eyes to the ground. Kokone visibly jabbed him in his side, clearly displeased, but he paid her no mind. He stood the closest to Rin, looking out at the crowd gathered below them.

"Citizens of Khaesea," the king bellowed. "Please welcome the Kagamine family!"

Rin started applauding before the words even left his mouth, terrified that her people would not follow suit. But, following her lead, the applause slowly started back up again, though never returning to its original vigor.

The prince looked at Rin as she smiled awkwardly, trying to recover from his introduction. She caught him once again, and he chuckled in response to her efforts. Never before had he seen so many people let a princess pull their strings.

With the formalities finally over, Rin's father rushed over to speak with Ken about their housing in the palace, paying no attention to the prince.

He did not seem to mind this one bit.

"Len," Kokone scolded, standing on the opposite side of him from Rin. "Apologize. Now."

"Why?" He said.

The girl turned her gaze to Rin. "I'm sorry for his rudeness." She shot daggers at her brother again.

"Don't apologize for me," he scowled.

"It's alright, really," Rin told them. "I'm not one for formalities, either."

"No?" He raised his eyebrows. "I'm not so sure I believe that."

"She is trying to be polite to you!" The younger sister growled through clenched teeth.

"I am not looking for people to be polite to me," he retorted.

"Then what are you looking for, brother?"

"Excuse me," Rin butted in, choosing to leave the conversation instead of attempting to defuse it. "I must see to my father."

The bickering siblings barely paid her any attention as she turned her attention to the two kings.

"I can't believe him" Miku snarled as she fixed Rin's bed for the night. "The nerve of some people. If he were a commoner, he would be beaten for something so discourteous."

"It's nothing, Miku," Rin promised from her seat at her armoire. Her maids had spoken of nothing more than the incident with Len at the introduction ceremony.

"It isn't nothing, princess," Luka insisted from behind her, running a brush through the girl's short blonde hair. "How are his people going to respect you if he does not respect you? And Khaesea's citizens will not take kindly to someone who treats their princess like a peasant on the streets."

"You didn't even do anything to him!" Miku was furious. "If I were you I would have smacked him across that smug little face-" she cut herself with a quick gasp of pain, causing Rin to shoot up from her seat and rush over.

"What's wrong?" She asked as her handmaid leaned against the bed.

Miku took a deep breath, temporarily cured of her anger. "It's nothing."

"Her back has been hurting her lately," Luka admitted for her. Miku shot the other maid a glare.

"What? For how long? Why haven't you told me?" Rin was horrified, trying to help her maid stand up tall. Miku was not much older than her, and for her to be already experiencing these issues…

"It's nothing princess, really," she insisted. "That's why I didn't mention it." She glared at Luka, who merely shrugged.

"Why don't you take it easy for a while?" Rin offered. "Go lay down."

She shook her head. "I cannot. The Kagamine girls will need me-"

"I will find someone else," Rin insisted, worried for one of her closest friends. "Go lay down."

Miku cast one more defeated look at Luka before finally standing straight up. "Yes, princess." With that, she left the room.

Rin watched her go with a frown.

"She…" Luka spoke from her place next to the armoire. "She is worse than she lets on."

The princess took a deep breath. "Please, tell her not to leave bed tomorrow, when you see her tonight."

Luka nodded. "Yes, princess." She still clutched the hairbrush in her hands.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying this story. Just wanted to give you guys and heads-up that I will be very busy for the next week and a half, and might have trouble uploading every day. I had a pretty big backlog of chapters, but it still might be difficult for me to post. Thanks for your patience :) _

_Enjoy! _

Rin was pleased to awake the next morning to Luka, and Luka only, opening her curtains for her. As stubborn as Miku could be, the princess was glad she had decided to listen and rest.

Rin marveled over her clothing options for the day. Each dress was much more decorated than her usual picks. She did not like being the center of attention and would have no choice but to do so wearing any of these dresses.

Luke sensed her discomfort as the princess took extra time pondering her choice. "The queen wanted to make sure you looked your best in the presence of the Kagamines," she informed her.

Rin nodded. "I understand. This one will do," she said, running her fingers across the tulle skirt of her choosing. It was another shade of light blue, this time with gold lining the bodice instead of white. The skirts fluffed out beneath the waist. She disliked dresses that were so large, they were a pain to walk in. And sit down in. And stand up in.

Nevertheless, she emerged from her chambers thirty minutes later wearing the puffy dress. Luka guided her through the halls, listing Rin's events for the day.

"With the Kagamines here, the king and queen wish to attend breakfast and dinner every day with both families in the Grand Hall. That is where we will head first."

Rin frowned. She was not thrilled with the Kagamines seeing her wearing this oversized pillowcase.

"Elmira wishes to see how your sewing has progressed, so you will see her after. Then, violin, and lessons after. I have lunch scheduled for you on the veranda near the southern gardens." She smiled back at the princess, who covered up her frown quickly. "I know how much you love it there."

"I do," Rin agreed, happy that something in her day was going to be pleasant. It was hard to be optimistic when every movement sent cascades of blue silk flowing down her arms and legs.

"After lunch, you are free today."

Rin raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wonderful." She could change, then.

"Dinner is at sunset." The two had come to the doors leading to the Great Hall. Luka gave her princess one last smile before pushing the doors open, their noisy creaking announcing her arrival without words.

Rin stepped into the room, embarrassed to find everyone already seated. It was often purposeful that the princess arrived last when she dined with her parents, but with guests, she felt it was not as polite. There was only one open seat for her between Kokone and Lenka, which she was happy to occupy. Lenka watched her approach with that same childish wonder as the day before, and Kokone looked slightly more relaxed, much to Rin's relief.

"Good morning," she said to the room as she took her seat.

King Brighton nodded towards his daughter, then continued his conversation with Ken, who sat directly to his left. The queens occupied the opposite end of the table, also gossiping happily. Rin couldn't help but notice the prince's seat, right in front of her. He paid no attention to her, instead choosing to stuff his face with the feast laid out before them.

"Good morning," Kokone answered, the only one responding to her greeting.

"How are you feeling?" Rin asked her.

Kokone smiled, dabbing at her mouth neatly with a handkerchief. "Much better than yesterday," she answered honestly.

"I'm glad to hear that. I was worried."

"You don't need to worry about me, princess," Kokone answered with a small smile. Not all of her unease was gone, it seems.

Rin laughed. "Please, call me Rin. We are friends."

She gave her a single nod. "I'd like that."

Rin opened her mouth to respond in kind, but the king cleared his throat loudly at the head of the table, signaling silence.

"I hope everyone slept well," Brighton began. "Now, there are some matters we must discuss."

"Is everything alright?" Kaori asked from across the table, setting her chalice down softly.

"For the most part, yes," the king answered. "However. Several of the townsfolk approached the Keep today with some… complaints."

"Complaints of?" Lily asked.

Ken, sitting next to the king, remained quiet. It seems they were just speaking of the matter privately.

"They were unhappy with the citizens of Acacia Falls. There is some… conflict at the construction sites."

"What kind of conflict?" Kokone questioned.

The king took a deep breath, deciding to skip the formalities. "The citizens of Acacia Falls do not want to assist in the construction of these new homes."

Rin sighed. "I cannot blame them. They have been traveling for so long, they need rest."

"They won't get to rest unless they have homes," Brighton pointed out.

"There must be some way to convince them," Kaori narrowed her eyes in thought. "They may be tired, yes. But my people are not stupid."

Ken sat up straight in his chair. "They need guidance. Someone to open their eyes to the situation." His gaze fell on Rin. "I told you that my people wished to meet you, princess. I think now is the time."

She smiled.

"If you were to travel to the sites and speak to them," he continued. "We might be able to bridge this divide between our people."

"I would be honored to," Rin answered proudly. "When should I go?"

"This afternoon," her father answered. "After lunch. The sooner the better."

There went Rin's free time, though she didn't mind much. At least she would get to spend it doing what she loved most.

"Len should go with her," Kokone blurted out.

The table fell silent. The prince locked eyes with her, his venomous stare burning holes into her. But she didn't budge.

"The people would feel much better seeing that their future king has struck a friendship with the princess," she continued, her eyes never leaving her brother. "They will be much more likely to work together if they see that our families have become friends as well."

And to see that the incident yesterday has been forgotten, Rin thought, admiring the girl for her clever tactics. She was able to strike a great argument and enrage her older brother at the same time. Now more than ever, Rin wished to get to know this girl better.

"Y-yes," King Brighton said, drawing Rin's attention. "That is a smart plan." He flashed his daughter a warning look.

A silence filled the table before Rin realized it was her turn to say something. "I look forward to it," she said, addressing the prince directly.

His eyes flickered to her for a moment before returning to his smirking sister. Without a word, he continued to eat his food, much slower now.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Rin asked her maid, holding up the first few square inches of her knitted blanket.

"She'll love it, princess."

"Do you think she'll just say that she likes it, then use it as a floor mat or something?"

Luka let out a laugh. "I'm sure she will genuinely love the blanket, princess."

Rin wasn't so sure. Sitting criss crossed on her bed, she looked over her work so far with a dissatisfied frown. She was not the best knitter in the kingdom, and the blanket lacked any eye-catching features besides the soft blue thread she had chosen from the market in town a few weeks ago. But she wanted something to give to her friend while she was recovering. A hand-made gift was the best option of all.

"The prince should be here any minute," Luka muttered, folding the last of her morning dress and stowing it away. "Hopefully he decides that retrieving you isn't too polite for his taste."

Rin had long since changed out of her tent and was now wearing a much more comfortable dress, designed to show off her riches while also making it easier to walk through the streets. She said nothing in response to Luka's ill words, also silently hoping that he did what he was told.

Their worries were washed away with a knock only a few minutes later. Rin set her knitting aside, standing up to smooth out her dress, while Luka waited for her signal to open the door. Once Rin felt she was presentable, she nodded, and her maid turned the handle.

The prince stood in the hall. Guards, donning the colors of both houses, stood on either side of him. Their escort. The prince himself seemed almost bored, the way he glanced casually around Rin's room as the door opened. His eyes stopped on her.

Every time she came into sight of the prince, he had the habit of looking her up and down, like he was sizing up an animal he was about to hunt. She wondered if this was a habit he made with everyone unfamiliar he came into contact with, but it didn't help her feel any more comfortable with his prying gaze.

His examination only lasted a fraction of a second. "Are you ready?" He asked with a blank expression.

Rin nodded. "I am ready."

"Well, let's get this over with, then." He started down the hallway without waiting for her to follow.

Rin glanced back at Luka one last time. She scowled, shaking her head at the prince. "I will be here when you return, princess."

She gave the maid a smile, before briskly walking after him in an effort to catch up.

The two walked silent, side by side, through the halls and out into the courtyard. The only sound present in their walk was the clang of metal from the following guards.

The prince widened his eyes at the courtyard. "This place is much bigger when there aren't thousands of peasants crowding it up."

Rin frowned. "They are not peasants."

"What are they then?"

"People," she retorted.

He let out a laugh and said nothing in response.

Rin snuck a glance at the prince as they walked. She could not help but feel annoyance at the mere sight of him. His inconsiderate attitude was beginning to break down her otherwise cool composure. How dare he come to the home of those helping him only to blow them off in front of their own citizens? Her father could have turned them away and let them die in the wilderness like wild dogs. But he hadn't. And this is how he is treated in return?

Rin took a deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Just as her instructors had taught her when she was younger. Being a princess is a tough job, little one, her nanny, who she remembered fondly, had told her. Remember to breathe.

So she did. Her anger was beginning to best her and she could not let that happen. Plus, her legs still itched from the tulle fabric of her morning dress. It was not helping her mood in the slightest.

They crossed the courtyard on the same marble path the Kagamines had arrived on, passing through the gates into the city. As soon as they were free from the walls of the palace, Rin felt better.

The fast-paced lifestyle of the city was more than enough to distract her from her less-than-pleasing walking partner. Near the city, tall, tightly-knit buildings housed noblemen and women, with homes on the upper floors and shops often on the ground floors. Peeking through the windows, Rin spotted shops with jewelry, others with fine silks and laces, as well as sweet-smelling bakeries.

The guards kept the townspeople at bay, but the sight of the Khaesea princess and the Acacia Falls prince walking together was enough to earn looks from all over.

Rin smiled at anyone who caught her gaze.

As they traversed further away from the palace, the neat buildings slowly gave way to small, one-floor shops, taverns, and homes.

They entered the square, a large, circular opening in the city crowded with townsfolk. A tall fountain depicting a statue of Rin's grandfather stood proudly in the middle. It was the most crowded section of the city so far, but the crowd parted easily at the sight of the royal pair.

The prince eyed one of the taverns, mentally noting its location.

"It's a beautiful day," Rin spoke, realizing they had not exchanged a word since they left the courtyard nearly twenty minutes ago. She had been distracted, and he was not one for small talk.

He merely grunted in response, taking in his surroundings carefully.

Rin frowned at him. "Do you wish to walk all the way to the construction sites silently?" She asked, letting her annoyance creep into her voice.

"I figured you would be too busy kissing the people's asses to speak."

In through the nose, out through the mouth. Rin didn't even remember the last time she had heard a curse word. "It is very difficult for me to imagine you growing up in a palace."

"Why do you pretend to care about them?" He asked, leaning closer so she could hear him over the growing cheers from the people. "You act like you're happy to see them."

She tried to keep her composure with all of these eyes on her, but the prince was making it very difficult. "I do not act like I am happy to see anyone."

He let out a disbelieving laugh. "Right. Just like you did not act happy to see me."

"I am happy to see anyone who has survived the horrors of war," she snapped, finally looking him in the eye. Although she had surrendered to his glare several times before, her pride would not allow her to do so now.

He fell silent, letting his shock and anger flow through his stare. It was him who finally looked away, having no response.

The princess quickly collected herself. She resumed her waving and smiling, though a foul mood now lingered in the back of her mind. She had angered him, and her guilt manifested itself immediately.

Pushing her worries to the back of her mind was all the princess could do now.

They finally reached the construction sites with a following of townspeople, eager to catch a glimpse of Rin. The scene at the sites was not a surprising one.

Having left the stone roads behind a few minutes ago, the path that stretched before them was nothing but a dirt trail, perhaps ten feet across. On one side of the path, several wooden foundations stood, though nothing more. On the other side lay great piles of lumber, foraged from the wilderness extending before them. Families clothes in rags sat on the piles. Rin's men walked around the foundations on the other side of the road, casting angry glances in their direction.

It was a very obvious divide.

At the sight of the guard, the idling families stood. Rin furrowed her brow at their hasty movements. It was is if they were afraid, caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing.

For a few moments, Rin was unsure of how to address them. This is what I am meant to do, she reminded herself. I must reason with them.

Waving off her guards, she approached one of the men sitting with his family. She walked alone.

The prince held his ground, watching as she began to speak with the bald man. Len looked around at the other builders, appalled at how quickly they abandoned their work to hear the princess speak. She spoke loudly so all could hear. The bald man was unwavering in his decision to abandon the idea of making a new home here. He believed he would return to his real home soon.

How foolish, Len thought.

No one had spoken about the attack since he had arrived, and he loathed that fact. Pretending that those monsters in purple and black had not stormed his home while he was sleeping, pretending he had not pulled his sisters out of their rooms as the fires burned their palace, and pretending that nearly half of their people had been killed or captured did not help anything. Pretending the attack had never happened only seemed to deepen his anger and mourning.

But finally, finally, someone had said it. The princess had proven to him that she had not forgotten the things he went through, the things his family had gone through. The horrors of war, she had said. They were horrors indeed, and Len hoped that she, her family, and her people would not experience the same fate.

For only a moment, his anger faded, and he almost felt at peace. They had not forgotten. No one had forgotten.

"We wish to help you," Rin continued to plead with the bald man, who seemed to have taken leadership over the few families arriving in Khaesea. "But we cannot help you heal if you are not ready."

"I will not abandon my home," the man argued, earning even more dirty looks from the men across the street for arguing with their beloved princess. "This is not my kingdom, these are not my people, and you are not my princess. I will not so easily forget what has been taken from me." The people behind him nodded.

"I am not asking you to abandon anything," she answered, clasping her hands together as she always did when she spoke. "Nor am I asking you to forget what has happened to you. I understand that healing is not an overnight process. It may take weeks, months, years, but it will never happen if you do not let it."

Len was surprised to see the man unable to argue with this logic.

"I am not asking you to heal," she continued. "I am only asking you to begin the process."

"She is right," the prince heard himself say.

Rin cast him a glance over her shoulder. Everyone in earshot was surprised to hear him speak, but none more than her. She had been so caught up trying to convince the man to help that she had nearly forgotten the prince was with her at all.

"We cannot undo what has been done," he continued, using his princely tone of voice for the first time in what felt like centuries. "But we can decide what happens to us from here on. You will never feel welcome in a city where you don't have a roof over your head."

From the awe in the prince's people, Rin wondered how often, if ever, he had addressed them before.

The bald man pondered his words, then slowly kneeled as the prince stopped next to Rin. "Aye," the man said, looking at the ground. "We will build."

The smile on Rin's face arrived without warning. Her anger and annoyance were washed away in an instant.

The prince could not help but notice. "Once you are housed," he continued, prying his eyes from her gleeful smile. "The townsfolk will help you find jobs." He looked at Rin for confirmation.

She nodded. "Of course!"

The man stood, nodding towards the princess. "I apologize for my rudeness. Please forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive," she answered, too overjoyed to even remember his curt words. "Please approach the palace if there is anything you need."

"Yes, princess."

Before long, the duo was back on their way to the palace. They walked in silence once more, though there was little-to-no tension in the air between them. A fine alternative to their walk to the sites.

"Thank you," Rin said, smiling the entire walk back to the palace. She had succeeded in serving her people once again, but only with the prince's help. "For backing me up down there. I don't think he would have listened to me without you."

The prince thought for a moment before responding. "And thank you," he finally said. "For not forgetting what has happened to us."

"I will never forget," she promised. "I… I wish we could have met on better terms."

The prince did not know what to make of these words.

"Me as well," he finally admitted.


	4. Chapter 4

"How does it look?"

"I think it's wonderful, princess. She will love it."

Rin held up the finished blanket to Luka with a frown. It had not come out nearly as nice as she pictured, but she had worked so hard on it. Hopefully, that would be enough.

"I don't know why you are so worried," Luka told her, trying to lift her spirits. "Miku would love anything you'd give her."

"That's the issue," Rin clarified. "I don't want her to like it simply because she has to."

"She will love it," the maid repeated.

The princess set the finished blanket in her lap, looking it over. It had been almost a week since she started it, and she had been working on it every free second she had since then. Miku had not resumed her duties since Rin demanded she rests. A doctor had been called only a few days prior, linking her strained muscles to overwork and exhaustion, only adding to Rin's guilt.

It was not her fault, however. Preparations for the Kagamines had been hard on the head maid.

"Nevertheless," Luka continued, pulling the curtains closed on Rin's windows and glass doors to her personal gardens. "It is late. You must sleep."

Rin let out a sigh. Luka was right, her maid would love the blanket. They would also love to see each other again. It had been some time, much longer than they are used to since they could have one of their laugh-filled chats.

Rin tucked the blanket safely under her bed, crawling under the covers. "Goodnight, Luka. Thank you."

Luka smiled. "Goodnight princess." Quietly, she crept out of the room.

But Rin could not sleep. Images of Miku's smiling face as she accepted her gift filled her mind until she was too excited to keep her eyes closed. She was far from the peaceful tranquility needed for slumber. Sitting up in her bed, she looked around the darkened room.

Perhaps she could take a night walk in her gardens. It had been some time since she pushed open the chilled glass double-doors, descending the marble staircase and sitting on the edge of the fountain only a minute's walk from her back door.

But she could not imagine the walk bringing her peace. Only one thing would. So, deciding against her better judgment, she waltzed over to her closet, pulling out a light summer dress to wear over her nightclothes. She emerged from her room moments later, hugging the blanket to her chest with one hand and holding a candle with the other.

She couldn't remember the last time she traversed the halls alone, and she also could not remember the last time she traversed the halls in the dark of night. This was her home, so getting lost was not an issue for her.

She was not necessarily breaking any rules, but she wasn't eager to meet any guards or servants still milling about the halls. So she avoided them, hiding behind tapestries when they passed. Leaning against the walls, she covered her mouth to keep from giggling. It was as if she was a girl again, sneaking out of her room to battle monsters in the dark.

With a permanent smile, she walked her bare feet deeper and deeper into the palace.

When she felt she was nearing the servant's quarters, she heard a cacophony of familiar voices. The Kagamine children. The guest quarters were in the East Wing as well, only two floors above the servant's. Rin looked towards the staircase in front of her once more, before letting her curiosity get the best of her.

The children were in a large sitting room, the younger sisters playing and laughing in front of a large fireplace roaring with flames. Kokone sat in a chair, watching them. To Rin's surprise, the prince sat in the middle of the girls, smiling and laughing as they tugged at his hair and clothes.

In the few days since they had arrived, Rin had never once seen the prince smile.

Kokone caught sight of her first. "Princess!" she exclaimed, more out of surprise than anything else.

At the word, the prince ceased all movements, smile fading and gaze snapping to the door. In the light of the fireplace, he almost seemed embarrassed.

Rin smiled from the doorway. "Sorry to disturb you."

"Are they being too loud?" Kokone asked. "I know it is late, but the girls… couldn't sleep." Her eyes somberly looked at her sisters.

"No, no. They are quite fine." Rin waved off her worries, wondering what the source of her concern could be.

The prince stood, walking over to the doorway while his sisters resumed their play. Kokone turned her attention back to them.

"What are you doing out so late?" He asked, his normal, unfriendly tone having returned.

But Rin's girlish smile could not be deterred. "One of my handmaids hasn't been feeling well. So I knitted this blanket for her. I wanted to bring it to her tonight."

The prince looked at her like she was crazy. "You're bringing a maid a blanket?"

Maybe Rin's smile wasn't as strong as she thought. "She's my friend," she defended.

"Is she dying or something?"

"No, of course not!" Rin frowned. "Her… her back has been hurting her."

He raised an eyebrow. "And a blanket is supposed to fix that?"

Rin's eyes dropped to the ground. The worst part was that he was right. How was she going to make Miku feel better with a stupid piece of wool? How could she have been so stupid?

And yet she had been so excited to bring it to her. So excited to see her friend. Her self-doubt came flooding back into her mind. The dam broken by the boy in front of her.

She raised her eyes, narrowing them in anger. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she held them back.

"You're an ass," she sneered, using a curse word for possibly the first time in her life.

Thankfully, the girls had not heard her. But Len definitely did. He stared down at her, appalled. His mouth hung half-open in shock, and no words found their way to his surface.

Rin did not wait for him to respond. She clutched the blanket to her chest, tighter this time, before running off back in the direction which she had come.

The next morning, Miku opened up Rin's curtains, letting the light pour into the room in their morning ritual.

Although her maid insisted she was fine, Rin could not help but notice Luka's concerned glances as they fitted Rin with her morning dress.

If Miku noticed, she said nothing, tightening the princess' bodice as if she had never left.

"Just, take it easy, okay?" Rin pressed.

Miku let out a sigh. "Yes, princess."

"I'm serious," she said, waving off their working hands so she could turn to look her in the eyes. "Go lay down if you need to."

Miku refused to meet her eyes, then nodded. "I will, Rin."

The blanket was under still under her bed, hidden from sight.

The trio left her room for breakfast. It was a warm day, with harsh sunlight fluttering in through the windows in the halls. Rin's maids walked silently behind her. All three of the girls found their walk much more awkward and tense than it usually was. Other servants passed them, much busier now that their guests were present. Each dipped their head in Rin's presence.

Once they reached the Grand Hall, the maids gripped one door handle each before pulling them open.

Rin had been the last one to arrive at nearly every meal since the Kagamines had arrived, and since they did not seem bothered by it, she did not let herself be bothered by it. She took her usual seat between Kokona and Lenka, her eyes avoiding the prince completely.

She was angry with him for being so rude, but she was even more angry with herself for letting her temper get the best of her. The last time she had said an ill word towards someone; she could not remember. Let alone a curse word. During her walk back to her room the night before, the rebellious joy of leaving her room after dark had been replaced by the fear that the guards would come and throw her in the dungeons. A horrible over-exaggeration, of course, but her feelings nonetheless.

"Good morning, Rin," Kokone greeted with a smile. She knew nothing of the incident haunting the princess.

"Good morning," she responded in kind.

"Daughter!" The king boomed, spilled the contents of his chalice in the process. "I have wonderful news." A servant rushed from their place at the wall, quickly scrubbing his mess.

Rin turned her head daintily towards him. She raised an eyebrow in question, words failing her.

"The situation at the construction sites has improved greatly," he informed the table.

Rin plastered a painfully fake smile on her face. She felt the prince's presence across the table from her like a demon haunting the room. "Wonderful."

"It seems our children work well together," Kaori beamed from her place next to Rin's mother.

King Brighton's smile faltered. Despite their success, his opinion of the boy had not changed. "It seems so."

To this, Rin had no words. She simply smiled at her praise and continued picking at her food. For the first time in weeks, she couldn't wait for the meal to be over.

"The townsfolk are speaking of a celebration," Lily added. "A festival to celebrate the relations between our sister-kingdom."

"A wonderful idea-"

Rin could not help but notice the prince, out of the corner of her eye, stiffen in his chair. She picked aimlessly at her plate with her fork. Perhaps he was not a fan of festivals. Or maybe he was especially a fan. Either way, she could not have cared less.

Under the table, he kicked her in the leg.

It was a miracle she didn't throw her food at him right then and there. They were supposed to be working together, trying to make this situation just a little bit more pleasant. And yesterday, they had been so close to finally overcoming their differences.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Another kick. Harder this time.

She refused to meet his eyes. No one at the table seemed to notice their secret quarrel, both families engrossed in the idea of a ball. Rin stabbed a piece of meat with her fork, perhaps a bit more ferociously than she intended, and rose it to her mouth.

A third kick. Right in the knee.

She couldn't help herself. She dropped her hand to the table, glaring up at him. What kind of game could he possibly want to play now-

But he sat relaxed in his chair, waiting to catch her attention. Then, once she finally dared to look up at him, he nodded nonchalantly towards the door behind her, seeing something behind her that she had not noticed.

Rin furrowed her brow, anger replaced by suspicion, looking over her shoulder.

Her maids stood on either side of the door, just as they always did. But now, Luka's eyes were widened in worry for her partner, who stood with her hands clasped together in front of her apron, her entire body quaking.

Miku was almost standing tall, trying with all of her strength not to double over as her muscle began their spasms once more. It had been nearly two days since it had last happened and she had been so sure she could return to her work. But now, at the worst possible time, with both royal families present, she was determined not to cause a scene. Sweat beaded at her brow as she strained to keep her back straight. She was so focused on her posture, she didn't even notice the prince trying desperately to get Rin's attention for help.

From Rin's seat, Miku's forward jerks made it seem like her maid was resisting the urge to vomit.

"Perhaps we could drape the lantern-lights in the town square," Ken suggested to the table, completely oblivious to the situation. "Back in Acacia Falls, we hung those every year for the new season-"

Rin had caught sight of her pained friend only half a second ago. Without thinking, she pushed her chair quickly from the table, standing. The foreign king silenced himself as she stood, more out of surprise than annoyance. All eyes turned to her.

After an uncomfortable pause, she opened her mouth. "Excuse me," was all she said, breathlessly, as she turned and walked briskly out of the room, her maids following her.

Miku's back jerked with every step.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Rin turned to her. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Is it your back again?"

"Let's get her back to her room," Luka suggested, holding onto Miku's hand as she finally let her muscles go, doubling over in pain.

"I'm okay," Miku lied, closing her eyes to stop her tears. "I'm okay."

"You can't even stand on your own." Rin grabbed her other hand, trying to keep her from falling to the ground. "Come on, let's get-"

The door behind them opened, and Rin would not have been more surprised if the lord himself came waltzing into the hall. Her eyes widened at the prince as he shut the door behind him. Rin just barely caught a glimpse of the stunned families watching him leave on the other side of the door.

She would have explaining to do later. Father is going to be furious, she thought with dismay.

"Here," the prince said, taking Rin's place at the maid's side. "Let me help."

Luka looked just about as shocked as the princess, but none of them were in any position to refuse help.

Miku was so caught up in her pain that she did not notice the prince of Acacia Falls practically carrying her down the hall towards the servants quarters.

Rin followed the three of them, feeling rather helpless. "Maybe it's time for a different position, Miku," she said, though the words pained her. "Perhaps in the kitchens. Or maybe we could simply get you a house in town. Let you rest there."

The maid barely heard her, on the edge of consciousness.

"She'll be okay, Rin," Luka promised, looking unsure herself.

The prince gawked at the three of them, unable to believe the casual ways they addressed each other. But, then again, he never imagined he would have a maid's arm draped over his shoulders, carrying her to her room.

Once they finally reached the stairs of the servant's quarters, they descended as one, Rin a few steps ahead to make sure no one fell. From there, they went through a few doors, turned down a few halls, and earned many appalled glances from the other servants before finally entering Miku's room.

The servant's quarters were well-kept and private, similar to the quarters of the royal family, if only smaller and deeper in the castle. Compared to the servants quarters of other kingdoms, they were heavenly.

"Thank you," Luka smiled at the prince as they laid Miku down in her bed. She nearly forgot her manners. "Th-thank you, my prince," she corrected herself.

"Yeah," he answered, strangely unbothered by the fact that she had nearly forgotten his title. Something he had never experienced before.

"You go," she continued, resting a hand on Rin's shoulder, also to Len's astonishment. "I can take care of her from here. Can you survive the day without me?"

Rin smiled, her worry showing itself through the tears welling up in her eyes. She threw her arms around her maid, hugging her. "I'll try," she answered.

"She'll be okay," Luka answered, before releasing.

The prince and the princess walked from the room together, Rin casting glances over her shoulder the entire way. The wide-eyed servants stared the same as they had before, then bowed their heads in respect.

Only once they had climbed the stairs, walking alone in the halls, did Rin speak.

"I didn't know-"

"I know," he answered before she could finish. "I didn't know how else to get your attention. I… apologize."

Rin couldn't help a sad smile. "Don't apologize. I wouldn't have known." All of her anger from the previous night had faded, only to be replaced with shame. "And… and I'm sorry as well. I shouldn't have snapped at you. Last night."

He laughed. Not like the snarky chuckles from the past few days either. A genuine laugh. "Don't be."

"Why not?"

He paused, looking down at her. "Because I was being an ass." He pulled at the cuffs of his sleeves. "It's about time someone was honest with me around here."

Rin paused, turning his words over in her head before letting another smile rise and even allowing a few chuckles to escape her as well.

They continued walking.

"It's been hard," he spoke with a sudden sadness in his tone. "I didn't want to come here."

Rin nodded. "I know. I understand."

"But you don't."

She took a deep breath. "No, I don't," she confirmed. "But that doesn't mean I can't help. It doesn't mean we can't… be friends."

He thought about this for a moment. "Your father dislikes me," he pointed out.

"Hm," Rin smiled again. "I wonder why."

This time, they both laughed.

"You can call me by my name, you know," he said, pretending to take an interest in the windows as he avoided looking at her.

Rin nodded. "Me as well."

_Maybe someone isn't such a bad guy after all. _

_So, I'm dumb, and I just realized that when I copy paste these chapters from my google drive that my italicized words weren't getting copied, so that's why there have been randomly missing words. I just fixed it in every chapter by updating them all. Sorry for being dumb. I swear I'm not this bad at editing. _

_Thanks for reading :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys! I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow, so no updates this week :( to make up for it, I'll double upload chapters today. I will be back and writing and posting on Sunday :) _

_Enjoy! _

Len had returned to breakfast, catching the suspicious glances of everyone in the room as he entered. He avoided them all. Sitting in his chair, his only interest was finishing the delicious fish he had started before rushing out to help the princess.

Rin did not return with him. Instead, knowing her schedule for the day, she decided to skip the rest of the meal and head straight to lessons.

The Khaesea Palace Library was a wonder in and of itself. It was housed in the very center of the palace, a few floors above the grand hall. The entrance doors were nearly as large as the entrance to the palace, towering high above Rin as she slowly pushed one of them in, slipping inside. The main floor was the most open, with tables and chairs crowding the smooth tiled floor in front of her. But above, massive towers of shelves rose, reaching nearly to the ceiling, where glass skylights allowed the sun to filter into the room nearly a dozen floors above her. There was no other way to even hope of lighting it - the bookshelves blocked every wall-mounted candelabra in sight, and fire was a dangerous thing in a room full of such rich history and stories written on paper. The library was the largest area in the castle, and, along with the veranda where she often ate lunch, was one of Rin's favorite places in the palace.

Her mentor, one of the few elders in the castle, sat in a wooden chair at one of the tables, leafing through the pages of a history book. At the creak of the great door, she looked up to see the princess enter. She slowly pressed herself to her feet. "Princess," she greeted with a smile.

"You don't have to stand for me," Rin insisted, rushing to her side. "Good morning, Mei."

"You're too kind," she answered, lowering herself back down. "Today," the old woman began. "We will be going over the neighboring kingdoms."

Rin frowned. "Again?"

"You have trouble with these."

Her mentor was not wrong. There were just so many names, colors, and places to remember. "I know the ones that matter." She sat down next to Meiko.

The old woman frowned. "That is very rude, princess. Each of these houses has an important history, and all of them have had a significant part in getting you here today," she scolded. "They _all _matter. In one way or another."

Rin lowered her head. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean it like that." The kingdoms had always frustrated her.

Mei sat straight in her chair, flipping through her book to the first page. "Go through them." The book was a mess of words, written in the sporadic handwriting of maesters past, describing who ruled in each kingdom during which time period, how many children they had and what their names were, where they lived and who they went to war with. The lists went on and on, and it was Mei's job now to continue filling in the many blank pages at the end of the book. She had yet to write about the recent attacks on the Kagamine family. She was not eager to.

Despite the walls of text, all she cared about while teaching her pupil were the titles, colors, areas of interest, and their crest. Only once she had memorized them all would Mei teach her the specific histories of each.

Rin nodded, trying not to look at the book as her mind searched for answers. "House Brighton, colors white and blue, rule in the city of Khaesea. Kingdom crest is a phoenix."

Her mentor pulled her lips into a thin, disapproving line. "You always begin with the easiest."

The princess sighed. They had been going over this subject for days, and she still could barely remember. "House Kagamine, colors orange, yellow, and white. They rule in…" she trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"Skip them," Mei said curtly, flipping through her pages.

"...House Yuzuki, crest is a snake-"

"Skip them, too."

Rin nodded, eager at the chance to skip the wicked family. "House Nekomura, colors red and black. Rule the southern isles-"

"Which one is their city on?"

"...Malrich."

"Correct."

"House Nekomura," she repeated, trying to jog her memory. "Kingdom Crest is a cat. House Megpoid-"

Mei rolled her eyes. "Of course, you remember the devils."

Indeed she did. House Megpoid was most famous for their use in magic. It was the only kingdom remaining that had a house sorcerer. Or, rather, sorceress. "Colors, green and orange. Rule in the Glacona Mountains. House crest is a raven."

Rin continued listing off the houses she could remember, which turned out to be quite a few of them. She surprised herself as well as her teacher. In the days since they had begun their study, she had not remembered this many.

She told of House Serle, the family her father's sister had married into. She told of House Aberardus and their city location, dangerously close to a dragon nest in the hills. She told of the Thancreds, the Hanns, and the Wilmonts, along with all others she could remember.

Which was a little more than half.

"Any more?" Mei asked after Rin took an especially long pause.

"I…" her pupil stared intently down at the table. "I don't think so."

Mei let out a sigh. "That was very good." Compliments were rare from the maester. "But you had many more to learn. Including…" Some light returned to Mei's voice as she flipped through her pages once more, landing on one with a smile.

"The Tohokus," Rin finished, lowering her voice and looking down at the page. "Colors blue and green. Rule in Casburg Bay. House crest… sea serpent."

Mei's wide smile did not reach the princess. "Lady Tohoku rules the city in place of her late husband, gods rest his soul. You will get to know her very well, soon," she promised. "Along with her son."

Rin knew what she was getting at.

Mei's smiled faded at the Rin's blank stare. "Are you not excited to meet him?"

"It is not for another year."

"Casburg Bay will be your kingdom, one day."

"Khaesea is my kingdom," she argued, trying to keep her voice steady. "No other."

Mei sighed, placing one of her wrinkled hands on Rin's in comfort. "It is a very beautiful city, directly on the ocean," she began. "They have fresh fish every night for dinner, with many exotics I bet you've never even heard of."

Rin stared down at the pages, unmoving.

"And it is always sunny. There is never any snow, no cold nights, no harsh winters. The people have festivals every month celebrating the new moon. Their culture is rich, based entirely on the creatures of the sea." Mei leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "They say mermaids bask in the moonlight when no sailors are present. Sirens call to men at the docks, and only those with ancestors in the city can resist them. It is in their blood." She smiled. "They say it keeps the foreigners away."

Mei's comforting stories may have worked once, but Rin was not a child anymore. She was nearing adulthood, and soon she would be married off - castaway at sea. She could think of nothing worse happening to her.

"They say the prince is very handsome," she continued. "He has a passion for horseback riding. Hopped onto his stallion's back when he was just a boy. And your marriage will open up dozens of trade routes to the sea- "

"I don't want to marry out of politics," Rin spat. "I want to marry out of love."

Mei's words caught in her throat.

Rin could hear no more, but just as she was about to snap at her instructor once more, the doors creaked open in front of them. The king himself entered with his guards no doubt posted at the doors. He didn't look happy.

Rin already knew why he was here. And, of course, he had to catch her at this frustrating time.

"Maester, I need a word with my daughter," he commanded, motioning for the door behind him.

Mei seemed surprised - frightened, even - at his obviously sour mood. But she said nothing, standing shakily from her chair and drifting slowly out of the room.

Rin did not stand from the table. Her eyes were still glued to the book in front of her. _House Tohoku, _the top of the page read in big, bolded letters.

"What was that?" The king asked his daughter.

"What was what?"

"Don't play a fool with me," he demanded, walking towards her table.

Rin took a deep breath. "One of my maids… hasn't been feeling well. The prince helped me take her back to her quarters."

"I _told _you-"

"You told me to stay away from him, and then you sent me parading through the streets with him," she snapped, stunning herself as well as her father.

He straightened, hands resting on his belt. "You do _not_," he began through clenched teeth. "_Ever _speak over a king."

Rin said nothing, still staring at her book.

Bruno looked down at his daughter, the sight of his only child softening his anger. "Rin… I sent you to the construction sites with him as a purely diplomatic act. It does not mean I want you spending _any _more time with him than necessary."

"He was just helping me-"

"That boy does nothing unless it will gain him something as well," the king said, cutting her off as he sat at the table across from her. "He did not pay us the respect we deserve, he does not speak at our meals unless demanded, and he does absolutely none of his princely duties whatsoever."

"He isn't that bad."

It took everything in Bruno's power not to begin yelling at his daughter. _What has gotten into her?_ "He is nothing but trouble. And I stand by what I said before: I do not want to see you with him."

Rin couldn't help but hide her scowl. Even if he was as bad as they all say, it was not _her _fault that he had chosen to help her. It was not _her _fault he had caused a scene during their meal, rising from his chair and following her into the hall. Why was she the one being punished?

_Probably because he wouldn't listen, even if they did scold him,_ Rin thought.

The king glanced down at the book in front of her, catching eyes of the titled page. "This," he said, tapping the page with his finger. "Is your future. And I will have the head of _anyone _who tries to take this from you."

They were meant to be comforting words; a father promising his daughter a wonderful life. But Rin saw it as nothing but a threat.

"Yes, father."

It was nearly midnight when Rin heard a knock on her door.

She had been tossing and turning in her bed for hours after her maids left, the names of different houses running through her mind, along with Meiko's promising smile when speaking of Rin's future husband, and her father's stern words.

She sat up in bed, straight as a board. _An invasion? _Was her first thought, but she brushed it off. She would have heard it long before, and the guards would not knock when entering the room of a princess if their intent was to get her to safety.

It was a warm night. Miku and Luka had left the doors to her gardens open, allowing the cool night breeze to pass through her darkened room. The distant, fresh smell of the wilderness came with it.

The knocks came again. They were soft.

Rin crept out of her bed, holding her thick blanket over her shoulders and in front of her. She was only in her nightclothes, and wouldn't have time to change before her strange night visitor went away.

Her hand turned the doorknob slowly. She noticed a slight tremble in her fingers.

It was Len.

"Oh, you are still awake," he said with a grin. "I wasn't sure you would be."

"What are you doing here?" Rin whispered harshly. _I'll have the head of anyone who tries to take this from you. _Her father's words echoed in her mind. "This… this is very inappropriate-" Her hand gripped the door handle with white knuckles.

Len looked down the hall on either side of him. "You never brought your maid that blanket, did you?"

It took Rin a moment to even remember what he was talking about. "What? Oh, no. I… I didn't."

"Do you want to?"

She frowned. "It's garbage. She's better with what she has already."

"I think she would really appreciate it."

Rin met the eyes of the prince who was the reason she never delivered the gift in the first place.

He lowered his head at her accusatory eyes. "I was wrong to tell you those things. It was… rude of me."

"So this is your way of apologizing?" She asked, clutching the blanket to her chest.

_I do not want to see you with him. _

He did not answer, staring down at the floor.

"Give me a moment to change," she whispered, closing the door before hearing his response.

It was not five minutes before the two were on their way down the darkened halls. They walked in silence, listening intently for the sounds of approaching guards. Rin clutched the blanket to her chest, pulled out from under her bed for the first time in days.

"I… I'm directly violating my father's wishes, walking with you," Rin pointed out, speaking softly. The silence was becoming too much for her. "Especially at this time of night."

"Sometimes it is fun to rebel," was his answer.

"Why does he dislike you so?" She asked. "My… my parents say that you are trouble, but I have yet to hear any… stories."

He chuckled. "I could tell you some stories."

Rin smiled for the first time that day. "Could you? What, do you already have bastard children at the Acacia Falls brothel?"

"No," he answered, flushing a bit with his smile. "Women are not my vice."

"Then what is?"

He pondered this for a moment before finally answering. "Disobedience."

"I could have figured that out."

"When I was nine," he began. "I snuck out of the castle for the first time."

"The castle?" Rin gawked. Sneaking out of her room was enough.

"The castle," he confirmed, his eyes on the floor as he relived the memory. "I had a friend in the town that I had met at the celebration of Lenka's birth. The whole city was full of drunken joy and laughter - anyway, no one noticed when I played in the mud of the town square with the blacksmith's son. But on this night, the two of us were up to more than just playing in the mud.

"We had heard that one of the mares in the city stables had just given birth to a foal and we wanted to see it for ourselves. So we ran to the stables clear on the other side of the city from the palace. I think I ran that entire night, my legs were exhausted in the morning.

"When we arrived, the little thing was curled up next to its mother, and we thought it was because they were cold. So, we decided to light a fire to warm them up."

Rin's mouth dropped open. "No!"

"Don't worry, none of the horses died," he assured her with a reminiscent smile. "But the stables were up in flames in seconds. We were terrified."

"What happened?"

"When the townsfolk woke up, they started yelling to each other that there was a fire in the stables, and we just ran. We ran all the way to the edge of the village at the base of a large hill. We could still see the blaze from our hiding spot.

"They pulled all of the horses out and simply let it burn. No other buildings caught, thank the gods. But the stables were nothing but charred ash the next morning.

"It wasn't until then that my nannies found me missing from my bed. My parents thought we had been attacked, and I was kidnapped in the night. But then the guards found me and the boy sleeping in the grass of the hill."

"That's awful," Rin could only imagine the panicked shouts of the people as they ran into the flames.

"It was great fun, actually."

"What?" Rin barked in disbelief.

"If anyone had been harmed, I would look back on the memory with regret. But we were only children. The stables were back in order in a week, no one - person or horse - with even a trace of a burn."

"Your father must have been angry," she returned.

"He was livid. Less so because of the stables and more because he thought I was gone." Len cast a look over his shoulder at the empty hallway behind them. "His only son, kidnapped. So, naturally, I did it again. And again. Each time getting into something else."

"I hope none are as bad as that," Rin commented.

He rose an eyebrow. "Do you want another?"

"Does it involve fire? Or injury?"

"I don't think so," he answered.

Rin smiled. "Sure. Another."

"There was a time when I was fifteen that I escaped to a local tavern," he began. "They were having a cards tournament."

She laughed. "Cards? I never took you to be the type."

"I wasn't," he confirmed. "That's why I cheated."

"You cheated? As if you need the money!"

"It wasn't the money I was after," he corrected. "It was the title."

"There is no glory in cheating," Rin argued, still grinning at his tales.

"But there is in winning."

She shook her head in disbelief, almost impressed.

"It didn't work, anyway. Only a few seconds after I won the last hand, the barmaster caught me and called me out to everyone. Forty or so men, all packed together in that room, all having lost their gold to me. It was a good thing I wore a cloak, or they would have surely recognized me."

"What did you do?"

"I did what I always do when trouble finds me. I ran like hell."

Rin covered her mouth to suppress her laughter.

"Once I reached the gates to the castle, the guards were furious that I arrived with an angry mob in tow."

"And their gold?"

"I never took anyone's gold. It was under my stool in the tavern where I'd left it. As you said, I didn't need it."

Their banter had lasted them all the way through the palace. Before the duo knew it, they were descending the stairs into the servant's quarters together for the second time that day.

"Tell me another," Rin insisted.

"Well, once, Kokone and I were angry with mother because she refused to give us sweets after dinner…"

_Awwwww my little forbidden lovers. _

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_The last chapter was really fun to write, but I feel like I might have accidentally did a little too much world building for this fic to be as short as I want :( I want to see magical Gumi and her family :( _

_But we'll see. I meant to make this only 20 chapters or so, maybe I'll do a 2nd fic instead of just making this one longer. IDK. Lemme know what you guys want to see :) If you're a regular reader of mine, you know that I kinda get carried away with the number of chapters I write lol _

_Anyway, I'll see you guys in a week. Enjoy the chapter! :) _

The next day, Mei was out on business in the town, so Rin was left to study in the library on her own. Which, of course, meant that she had abandoned _A Detailed Description of the Houses and Kingdoms of the World _and was instead perusing the mountainous shelves for books to borrow.

If there was anywhere in the palace where Rin could get lost, it was here. But she didn't mind one bit, twisting and turning through the maze, occasionally moving and climbing the ladders littered throughout the room to more closely examine books that caught her eye on the higher shelves. She found a collection of poems from a land she had never heard of, probably long gone in the history books. There was a book all about the feats and achievements of the Megpoid family and their use of magic, which Rin tucked under her arm. Another was a book of fairy tales and folklore told from her own homeland. Of the three books, this one was in the best shape. The other two, especially the book of poems, looked nearly ready to fall apart. She handled them carefully.

_House Nekomura, live on the southern isles, specifically the island of Malrich. Colors are red and black, house crest is a cat… _

Rin ran through her kingdoms as she browsed, so she would not feel entirely guilty of taking advantage of this rare free time she was granted.

Only once she had exhausted her memory trying to recall the final few did she decide to return to the book on the main floor. She would read over it a few more times before letting herself free into the shelves once more.

Her footsteps echoed in the tall room as she happened upon a familiar staircase, descending down four floors before catching sight of the book. To her surprise, someone was sitting at her table, flipping through the pages.

"It's not that interesting," Rin pointed out, appearing from the shelves with her three chosen books hugged to her chest.

The prince jumped at her voice. "Where did you come from?" He asked, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment at being taken off guard.

Rin smiled, amused. "My instructor is gone for the day. So I've been looking through the shelves," she explained, turning to gesture towards the maze. "Have you been in here before?"

"No," he answered, looking up towards the skylights. "Never. It doesn't even feel like we are inside anymore."

"It's a great way to pass time, getting lost in here," she told him. "I wish I could do it every day."

Len looked down at the open book on the table. "What is it about?" He asked, flipping another page.

Rin sighed. "It's a history book. Has all of the houses, their names, their colors, their children, and so on. It's my latest assignment."

He nodded, saying nothing as his eyes skimmed the page.

"I can show you some more interesting ones," she offered. "I found a few books upstairs that I almost took for myself. You can borrow them, as long as you bring them back. I'm sure Mei won't notice."

Len's eyes were not skimming the page, tracing back and forth across every line as Rin had initially thought. Instead, he gazed down at the page with a hint of longing.

"Len?" She asked, noticing this. "You can… you can read, right?"

He said nothing.

Rin was taken aback. "They never taught you?"

"I did not let them," was his answer, his voice filled with regret. "Though now… I wish I had."

"I can teach you," she responded immediately.

He looked away, ashamed.

"So you wouldn't listen to your teachers when you were younger, and then when they gave up on you, you realized how wrong you were to turn them away?"

Silence.

"Pride is a nasty thing," she advised him.

He could not meet her eyes.

"Do you want me to teach you? I will. It isn't that hard, I promise." She was nearly pleading with him now. "Don't you want to be king someday?"

"Of course I do," he snapped back at her.

"You will need to learn, then."

He took a deep breath.

Rin took a step towards him, pushing his shoulder with her free hand and forcing him to look at her. "There is no shame in it," she offered, locking eyes with him. "Don't let your pride get in your way a second time. You will _need _to know."

He stared at her for a moment before finally nodding. "Okay."

Rin beamed. "I won't be able to teach you every day," she said, suddenly feeling excited. "But Mei is often gone during our lessons, so perhaps you could wait in here at this time every day to see. And if she's gone, I will teach you. If she's here, you can practice on your own."

Although he wouldn't show it, Len was excited as well. Overjoyed, more like it, if not still ashamed for his ignorance. "That will work."

"I will ask Luka every morning if Mei is here for the day," she continued, talking more to herself at this point. "She should know. And then I might be able to tell you at breakfast. Although, with father watching…" She cut herself off, suddenly feeling like she had said too much. Once again, if her father found out about this…

"He wouldn't be happy to see us here," he said as if reading her thoughts.

"There are tables up on the third floor," Rin said after a second of thought. "We can have our lessons up there. That way, if anyone comes in, we will at least be able to hide," she explained with an amused grin. She was suddenly so eager, so excited to defy her father. _Might as well live a little before he sends me off to my doom, _she thought resentfully.

"You will have to show me where they are," he told her, looking around the room once more. "I fear I will starve in this room, getting lost so easy."

The princess let out a laugh. "It is not so bad. Come," she grabbed his wrist, much to his surprise. "I'll show you."

She led him into the shadows of the bookshelves.

"So what's this one?"

"...A."

"And this one?"

"L."

"See? You've already got it."

They had found their reclusive table in a far corner of the library, and were only working on their first lesson for a few hours before Len was able to pick out nearly every letter in the book they had chosen from the shelves. He was much more quiet than usual, still adjusting to this uncomfortable situation with the princess, but she did not see it that way at all. Soon, he had almost forgotten his shame.

"Why were you up so late last night?" Rin asked, attempting to make friendly conversation that didn't involve her teaching. They had been at it for a while now, and she didn't want to exhaust his brain too much.

Len rested his elbows on the table. "My sisters couldn't sleep."

Rin frowned. "Are they uncomfortable in their rooms? I can have mother arrange something better-"

He shook his head. "They've been having nightmares."

Rin looked down at her lap, where her hands were folded neatly. "Oh." Although they were too young to understand completely what had happened, she could only imagine what the girls remembered of the night they were attacked.

"But they will pass," he continued, dipping his quill in ink before once more attempting to spell his name.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked, saddened at the thought of the poor girls awakening in the night. At the same time, she felt admiration for the prince and his devotion to keeping them happy and helping them feel safe.

"No, but thank you."

But Rin did not agree, feeling that there must be something, _anything _she could do to help them.

"Dinner is soon," Len pointed out, still tracing the lines of the letters with a shaky hand. "We probably shouldn't enter the room together."

The thought saddened Rin even more, but she nodded in agreement.

Setting the quill down, Len folded up some of his papers and stuck them into the book, closing it. "I'll practice," he promised.

"You better," she retorted with a smile. "Else you'll forget everything we've done today."

He nodded. "I'll see you at dinner."

"Will you get lost on your way out?" She teased.

He laughed. "I think I can find my way."

Rin glanced down at her own stack of books. Perhaps she could start one before leaving. "Until dinner, then."

Once he had gone, Rin couldn't help but feel a bit lonely in the sea of books.

_I'm trying to make these chapters a bit shorter, as well, but it doesn't always work out. Do you guys like longer chapters or short? More chapters or fewer? Lemme know! _

_Thanks for reading :) _


	7. Chapter 7

_We're back in town. How's everyone doing? _

_This is a bit of a shorter chapter, but things are really starting to pick up after this :) I'm excited for you guys to read it. _

_Enjoy! _

"I don't want to go to sleep," Lenka whined, rubbing her eyes. "I want to go to the foyer and play."

"Me, too!" Yuki called from across the room.

"You can't," their older brother retorted, kneeling beside Lenka's bed and tucking her in. "It's late."

"He's right, girls," Kokone agreed. "It's time for bed." The oldest Kagamine daughter was on the other side of the room from her brother, tucking in Alexa and Yuki while he comforted Lenka. Galaco, tucked into the bed next to Lenka, lay with her back facing the room. The ten-year-old was not asleep, refusing to talk to her older brother or any of her sisters. She wished for nothing more than to be left alone, and their endless chatter was making it extremely difficult.

"Lenny," Lenka grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, her bright eyes poking out from under the covers in fear. "What if the bad man comes again?"

He smiled comfortingly, kissing her forehead. "There are no bad men here, Lenka. Sleep."

"Will you stay with us tonight?"

The girls' room was arranged with five beds, three hugging one wall and two hugging the other, to house them all comfortably. Len's room was next door, as both his parents and Rin's found it inappropriate for a boy to be in the same room with them. But, unbeknownst to them, he often found himself curled up on the floor anyway.

But tonight, he wished they would just sleep so he could return to his room and open his books.

"I will stay until you feel safe," he promised.

"Stay with me forever," she argued.

He sighed. His reading would have to wait.

"It's okay, Len," Kokone called from across the room. "They will fall asleep eventually. You should go to your room."

"I'm fine."

"You do this every night. Go sleep in a bed for once."

"No!" Lenka argued, gripping his sleeve so hard he feared it might tear. "Don't leave."

"Lenka, let him go-"

The commotion in the room was silenced in an instant at the sound of three soft knocks at the half-opened door.

Rin poked her head inside, taking in the scene. "Hello," she greeted, feeling shy under six pairs of eyes.

"Princess," Kokone greeted, both out of surprise and joy. "...Is - is there something you need?"

"No, not at all," she answered pushing the door open. She was holding something in her right hand. "I just… I heard you girls were having trouble sleeping."

Even Galaco sat up in her presence, her frustration nearly forgotten.

Kokone flashed Len a look of suspicion. _Who else would have told her? _"Yes," she answered. "A bit." He ignored her glare.

"I can't sleep because the bad man will come back," Lenka blurted out.

"Lenka, hush!" Her brother scolded.

Rin took a few steps into the room, lowering herself to her knees and setting the object in front of her. It took Len a few moments to realize it was a case for an instrument. A violin. She popped the clasps open.

"What is that?" Lenka asked with wide eyes.

"This is called a violin," Rin answered with a smile. "And it makes really pretty music." She pulled her bow out of the case as well. "When I was younger," she began, I had nightmares too sometimes. And when I did, my mother would come to my room and play her violin until I fell asleep again."

Lenka smiled, bouncing her legs under her blanket. "I want to hear!"

Yuki's wide eyes fell on Kokone, who sat by her bed. "She's like Marcus!"

Kokone felt the sudden urge to cry at the name of the castle's bard, who was long gone in the battle.

Len ripped his eyes from the princess for the first time since she entered the room. "She won't play until you lay down," he told Lenka sternly.

She nodded furiously, letting her brother fully tuck her in for the first time.

The room fell to silence, with only the crackling fireplace cutting into it.

Rin still felt self-conscious playing in front of them, but that was exactly what she came here to do. So, without giving herself time for hesitation, she rose her bow to her strings and began.

She sat on her knees still, in the middle of the room, dragging her bow back and forth across the strings expertly. Her fingers found the notes of the neck without much effort, emitting a slow, soft tune.

Lenka watched intently. The girls were all entranced by her song, even Kokone, who was finally able to crawl into her own bed without interjection from her younger sisters.

Len forced himself to look away, watching Lenka's eyes slowly flutter shut from pure exhaustion. Finally, she could relax.

When Rin finished her first song, she paused, then immediately began another.

She played softly, letting her notes echo into the room with elegance and grace, and Len couldn't help but wonder how long she had been learning. She wasn't even of age and yet it sounded like she'd been practicing since the beginning of time. Only when Lenka was surely asleep, a soft smile on her face, did he dare look at the princess while she played.

Rin's eyes were closed, forcing herself to focus on the notes and not on the siblings watching her.

Lenka was asleep by the end of the second song. Then went Alexa. Yuki took a bit longer, three songs in, before she too finally lied down. Last went Galaco. And then, when Rin had been playing for nearly a half-hour, she finally glided her bow to a stop, looking around the room with a small smile.

Her eyes fell on Kokone, who mouthed the words "Thank you," before laying back herself. And then it was just her and Len.

She packed up her violin as quietly as she could before stepping out of the room. Len followed her.

"You didn't have to do that," he whispered as he closed the door on the sleeping girls.

"I won't have my guests plagued with nightmares," Rin answered, triumphant.

_When I was writing this, I listened to a bunch of classical violin music that I imagined Rin was playing, and listening to all this classical music makes me talk like a queen. It's quite alright :) _

_Thanks for reading! _


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys! Here's the next update for you. I'm thinking this fic will end up being around 20 chapters, just so you guys know. Also, my favorite thing from any medieval story are the dances. The big ballroom dresses and gowns and classical music is just such an asthetic. _

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last few chapters, too! I love hearing your feedback :) _

_Enjoy!_

"Mei is gone today," Rin informed the prince at breakfast when she was sure no one was paying attention.

He had asked her every day since their first lesson, nearly a week ago.

Len looked up from his food, grinning so widely that Rin was worried the others would notice. "I've been practicing."

"Good. You'd forget everything, otherwise."

She had gone to visit the girls every night since that day as well, soothing them to sleep with her violin. "Our little secret," she had told them. Afterward, she was always able to give Len a few pointers and answer questions about his books if he had any, but it was much too late for a full lesson. Plus, Rin could only imagine what her father would think if he caught her with the prince so late at night. So she never stayed long.

"I think it's high time we make it official," King Bruno stated from his place at the head of the table. "The people have been talking of the feast, festival, and celebratory ball for weeks now."

Kokone bounced in her chair. "When? When will it be?"

"It will take us some time to plan, dear," Kaori informed her.

"A week," Bruno said with a smile. "A week from today."

It had been a long time since Rin had attended a royal ball. She smiled at the thought of dressing up in an extravagant dress of her choosing and swaying across the dancefloor.

"And then will we be going home?"

Rin had never heard Galaco speak at all, let alone at the table. Her eyes flinched to the young girl.

A dark haze fell over the two families. Even Len seemed surprised at her outburst.

Ken shook his head. "No, dear. We won't be going home for quite a while."

"Why not!?" Lenka nearly screamed.

"Lenka! The King and Queen are treating us well here! Do not yell at the table!" Kaori scolded her, ashamed herself.

"But it's not home," Galaco pointed out, her voice shaking with grief.

King Brighton sighed, leaning towards Ken. "You and your family are always welcome to a home in the upper districts of the city if you do not wish to return."

"I do wish to return," Ken retorted, staring at his place with a furrowed brow and a frown. "I am meant to be a King. And my son is meant to take the crown after me, not some Yuzuki bastard."

Len looked over at his father with a blank expression, meeting his eyes but saying nothing.

Brighton nodded. "We will send spies to Acacia Falls, then. See exactly what we are dealing with. But first," he rose his head, planting a kingly smile on his face. "Let's worry about the ball. Might as well begin with the fun stuff, right girls?"

Galaco nodded, pleased with her progress. At least they weren't going to do nothing anymore.

Rin flashed a worried glance and Len, picking at her food until breakfast was over.

"That was… intense," Rin commented as Len emerged into the clearing of shelves that was their hiding spot.

Len nodded. "They're getting impatient." He took his seat at the table, setting down his books in the process.

"Your sisters?"

"They want to go home."

"I don't blame them."

He took a deep breath. "My father wants me to help plan our attacks."

Rin frowned. "Do you know how to do that?"

"I've sat on war councils with him before, but… I've never done anything like this."

"Are you going to?"

"Of course I am," he answered quickly. "I have to."

"Well… you _had _to bow to my father when you first arrived here, but you didn't do that. How is this any different?"

He thought for a moment. "Because that was harmless," he explained. "A pointless courtesy."

"And the sneaking out?" Rin prodded. "The gambling? Setting buildings on fire?"

"Just because I do those things doesn't mean I don't want to be king," he snapped, taking Rin aback. "I want to rule, and I want to take care of these people, and I want to make my family proud," he continued, not looking at her. "The fact that I hate the politeness and civilities that come with the throne doesn't mean that I don't want it."

Rin nodded. Of course he wanted to rule. He had finally sucked up his pride and let Rin teach him to read solely because he wanted to rule.

A few moments of silence passed before Rin broke it. "I know of some war books we can read," she offered. "They may be able to help you."

"War books?"

"They explain many historic battles," she explained. "They're basically strategy books. Though they are much more difficult than what we're learning now."

"What do you know about war?" He asked, curious.

"I sit in on father's councils," she answered. "The generals all know me, and they listen to what I have to say. Between me and you," she added, leaning a bit closer. "They trust my word more than my his."

He chuckled. The extent of her power never ceased to impress him. "Let's start with these," he decided. "I'm… I'm excited to show you what I've done this week."

Rin smiled. "Yeah? What have you done?"

"I was able to get through this whole page," he explained, opening up one of his books. "The fairy tale about the imp and the troll."

"That's wonderful!" She exclaimed, looking at the page herself. She widened her eyes in surprise. "This is a lot, Len. You can read all of this?"

"I've… I've been practicing a lot."

"Have you?"

"I have a lot of free time," he admitted. "Not many of my old hobbies are available here."

Rin's excitement ebbed, but only slightly. "How did you pass your time? Other than drinking and gambling, of course."

He chuckled at the jest. "Well, I used to frequent the stables."

"You enjoyed the horses?"

"Yes," he answered. "We had to leave my favorite mare behind when we left. I used to take her along the river all the time. On good days, we went all the way to the waterfall."

"What was it like? The waterfall?" Rin could only imagine the torrent of water after which the kingdom got its name.

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes staring at the table but not really seeing it. "It was like walking through the forests, only hearing the chirping birds and the steps of your horse, and then all of the sudden you can hear nothing. Not even your own voice, if you shout. All you can hear is the roar of the water hitting the lake. You hear it long before you see it, too. After another ten minutes of riding, you canter around another tree and then the forest halts, and just before you is a wall of water. You can't see the end to your left or right, and looking up, it is difficult to tell where the water ends and the sky begins."

"Have you ever been to the top?" She asked, entranced.

He shook his head. "No one had ever found a way to the top. The falls seem to go on forever."

"Wow," she breathed, fiddling with her hands.

"I hope I can see it again someday."

"You will," she promised, too hopeful to even consider the opposite. "I know you will."

His eyes stayed on the table. He said nothing.

_I would like to see it, too, _she thought.

"Wh-what else did you do?" Rin asked, forcing herself out of her mind.

"I liked archery. But I had to leave my bow behind, as well."

"Were you any good?"

"Hah," Len's loud laugh made Rin jump in her seat. "The best anyone has ever seen," he said matter-of-factly.

"Really?" Rin asked with a smile. "How humble of you."

"No one could ever out-shoot me on the range. I might as well have been directing my arrows with magic."

"How did you get so good?"

"Practice, of course. Also, father and I used to go hunting often."

"You didn't have hunters for the castle?"

"We did," he replied. "But it is much more satisfying eating an animal that you killed yourself."

Rin did not know the feeling and doubted she ever would. "Well, we have an archery range in the gardens," she offered. "Father had them build long ago when he thought he would take up the hobby."

"He didn't?"

"He went for a few days," she remembered. It was long ago. "But it didn't stick with him."

Len smiled. "Who can I ask about this range?"

"Miku and Luka are caring for your sisters during the day, right?" The blue-haired maid had returned to work with a new schedule: one day of work, followed by one day of rest. So far, it was working phenomenally for her health. "They can show you where it is. But if you can't catch them when they aren't busy, the range is pretty easy to find. It's right next to my gardens on the west side of the palace. Towards the river."

He raised an eyebrow. "Right next to your gardens, huh?" He teased. "You going to spy on me while I shoot?"

She had not planned on it, but if she wanted to, she definitely could. "Shut it," she laughed, blushing. "Come on, let's get to the book."

Like the week before, their lesson had gone very well. Rin was able to guide him through nearly a whole chapter in his book, made possible mostly because of his rigorous practice. Len was able to remember nearly everything from the week before. He only left the library only as it was getting dark, dropping off his new pile of books just before he saw Rin again at supper.

She had come to the room his sisters were staying in every night, and he expected her again once it got late enough. Until then, he sat in his own room, alone, leaning over the books splayed open on his desk. Rin had given him fresh ink for his writing, which he used greedily, rewriting the words of the books over and over again until his hand ached. The single candle resting beside him was his only source of light in the room, and he wondered several times if he should light the fireplace. Although it was summer, he found his room often became unbearably cold at night.

He nearly jumped at the sound of his door opening.

"Len," Kokone called, entering without even knocking. "The girls are going to bed."

He knew what that meant. "Give me a second."

She narrowed her eyes at the sight of her brother hunched over the desk. "What are you doing?"

He closed his books quickly, leaving the quill in the bottle of ink and gathering his papers. "Nothing."

"Are you… are you _reading?_" She asked, walking over to the desk.

"No. Yes. Maybe."

She couldn't believe it. "How?"

"I've… I've been going to the library."

"Who's teaching you?"

He hesitated. "The princess."

Kokone's heart dropped. "Len-"

"Shut up."

"You know you're not supposed to see her."

"Has that stopped me before?"

"Father would be furious if he found out-"

"So?" He asked harshly, turning to face her. "Are you going to tell him?"

She wanted to. She wanted to so, so bad. Her deepest fear was that Len would do something to enrage King Brighton so much, he'd turn them away. "We are safe here," she began. "And you are putting us all at risk. You know she is betrothed?"

"It's not like that," he spat.

"Then what is it like?"

He had no answer.

She knew it was him who told the princess about their sisters. She saw them exchange words and glances across the table at every meal. And now, she knew where they both were when she wasn't around her brother. And she feared they were getting much too close.

Despite all of this, she could not entirely blame him. Kokone was fond of the princess as well, and they had often enjoyed lunch together since their arrival. But Kokone was not a prince. She was only Rin's friend.

Kokone dropped to her knees, resting her hands on his arm. "Len, please. If you choose _one thing _in your _entire life _to listen to, let it be this. Please."

He watched her as she spoke.

"Do not ruin this for us," she begged. "Stay away from her."

As much as Len did not want to admit it, his sister was right. He was getting himself involved in a risky game that could have dire consequences for his family. Rin had already given him the tools to learn how to read on his own, and she had told him of various places around the castle to spend his time.

And yet, after breakfast the next day, he still found his feet carrying him towards the library. She said her instructor would be gone for a few days, traveling to another city on business. It was on his way to his lesson that he realized none of those things sounded fun compared to meeting Rin in their secret little haven.

The thought scared him.

Disobedience without consequences was his specialty. What would they do if he snuck off to the tavern? Nothing. What would they do if he pissed off a couple of men by cheating at cards? Nothing. Hell, even the fires he had started only ended with stern words from his father.

But sneaking around with Brighton's daughter… they would definitely do something. Even knowing this, he couldn't help himself.

Rin smiled as she caught sight of him climbing the stairs. "Good morning, prince," she called from her place behind the banister. The library was empty besides the two of them.

He caught sight of leaning against the railing above him and took a deep breath. "Good morning," he replied.

She frowned. "Is something the matter?" She was too good and sensing these things.

He shook his head. "Just tired, is all."

"Well you better wake up," she joked. "We're going to tackle some harder stuff, today."

He reached the top of the stairs. "Really? I don't know…"

"You're ready," she stated. "Come. Let's begin."

Throughout the lesson, Len could not shake Kokone's words out of his head. Even while Rin was speaking to him, all he could imagine was the King walking in through the library doors below them, furiously searching for his daughter. And when he found her, here, with him…

"Len?" She asked, waving him back to reality. In his daydream, he had been staring blankly at her while she spoke. "Are you sure you're alright?"

He looked down at the table. _We are safe here. Do not ruin this for us. _Where would they go without the King's hospitality? They would be forced to set up tents in some field far away, unable to plan their attack to reclaim their home. They truly had nowhere to run to.

"Len," Rin said again, switching from her normal airy tone to her concerned, motherly voice. "Talk to me."

"I was asleep," he suddenly found himself saying. "I was sound asleep in my room after dinner with my father in his study. We were talking about how we planned to attack Yuzuki's Empire within the week. Our spies never knew that they had left their city to come to us."

Rin listened, eyes wide with concern.

"I was asleep," he repeated. "When I heard the guards running down the hall to my room. They had attacked from the jails in the back of the castle. My sisters' rooms were in the back of the castle as well, several floors above the cells. We think-" he cut himself off, trying to catch his breath. "We think they were trying to take one of them. Use them as ransom. But the guards came to me first- because they thought the girls were already gone."

"Len," Rin said, gently. He was too upset, he needed to stop. But he didn't.

"But I wasn't going to just _leave _them. So I ran with my guard towards their rooms, and by the grace of the gods we got there before the Yuzuki soldiers did. They were all terrified, hearing the commotion and the fires and the yelling-"

"Len, stop," Rin warned, worried he would break down if he went on any longer.

He stood, pacing behind the chairs as he imagined the night that led him here. "All the girls ran off with our parents, but Galaco's room was the last one we got to. And - and they were already there, trying to take her. And she was yelling when we finally got there, this… this guard was pulling her from her bed by her hair, and I had my sword, and I just - I just -"

He hadn't seen or heard Rin stand from her chair, but in that instant she interrupted him by throwing her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. He blinked, too stunned to do anything else, as single strands of her short hair poked the side of his face.

"Hush," she choked, tearing up at the tale. "No more of that."

He said nothing, only wrapping his arms around her waist, returning her hug.

"All that is over, Len," she comforted. "It's all over."

But it wasn't. Len knew it. It wasn't over. And it wouldn't be for a long, long time.

_I just realized I forgot to make the joke about Mei being a maester. Get it? Meister? ha_

_Thanks for reading :)_


	9. Chapter 9

Rin was in high spirits the day of the ball. She spent most of her day with Luka and Miku, who guided her to and from the bathhouse in the morning, to her meals (which she ate alone), and back to her chambers to choose her dress, style her hair, and dab her cheeks with makeup.

Throughout the palace, the servants spoke with excitement and laughter, the King and Queen practiced their dancing in their chambers with smiles and kisses, the Kagamine girls giggled as they pulled each others hair and swirled in their fancy dresses, and even the prince, studying alone in his room, was looking forward to the night.

But down in the village, while the royals prepared themselves for their dinner, the party had already begun. Lanterns hung over town square, lit but unseen until dusk. Music rang out from traveling troupes, villagers sat on wooden stools while waiting for the first of several plays to start, the tavern was full of roaring laughter and the shuffling of cards, and even for the citizens of Acacia Bay, the war seemed like nothing but a far off nightmare.

"Which one would you like, princess?" Luka asked with a smile.

Rin had the choice of five dresses today. She looked over them with a grin, her hair still wet from her bath, as she spoke to her maids. "You two will be enjoying the night, too. Right?"

"We have work to do," Miku answered. Then, with a smile, "But after it is done, yes."

"I want to see the village," Luka told her. "I bet the townsfolk have decorated it beautifully."

"It will be a sight indeed," Miku agreed, smiling at her partner.

"I want you two to enjoy yourselves, as well," Rin added. She ran her fingers over the smooth silk skirts of the fourth dress. "I think I like this one."

Both of her maids widened their eyes in surprise at her choice.

"What?" Rin asked, suddenly self-conscious. "Do you not like it?"

Miku opened her mouth to speak, hesitating before finding her words. "W-we like it very much, princess. Or else we wouldn't have chosen it for you. B-but-"

"It's a lot more… _noticeable _than your average choice," Luka finished.

Rin turned back to it, looking it over from top to bottom. It was a deep blue ballgown, lined with white flowers sprouting at the tight bodice and branching down to the skirts, which puffed out only slightly at the hips and fell to the floor in gentle blue waves. Of the five dresses, it was the only one with bare shoulders and no sleeves. She imagined herself walking into the entrance hall, filled with two long tables littered with endless amounts of food for the nobles of the city, sitting before the royal table in the place of her father's throne, which would seat her parents, the Kagamine sisters, their parents, and Len.

"Perhaps I want to be seen tonight," she added with a smile.

But her maids were not sure. They exchanged glances, communicating something that Rin could not hear.

"What?" She asked again. Sometimes, it felt like her maids could read each other's minds, leaving Rin completely out of the loop. "What is it?"

It was Luka who spoke. "...By whom?"

"What?"

"Who is it that you wish to dress up for?" Miku asked. Both of the maids stood tall with their hands politely clasped behind their backs, speaking cautiously.

Rin narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Lady Kokone told us yesterday that you were teaching the prince how to read," Luka blurted out, earning a stern glance from Miku. "And we fear…"

"So what?" Rin cut her off, feeling that unfamiliar annoyance that made itself known anytime someone talked about her and the prince. "What does it matter? He needs to learn."

"We have maesters who can teach him," Miku pointed out.

"I can do it just fine."

"We fear you are getting too close, princess," Miku admitted, shutting her eyes tight at the accusation. "It is not appropriate-"

"I am already being scolded by father. I don't want to hear it from you two as well."

"We just want what is best for you," Luka continued. "And he is not-"

Rin whirled around from her position in front of the dress. "I find it odd that everyone who tells me what kind of a person he is has not spent more than five minutes with him." Attacks on him felt like attacks on herself, and she was determined to defend them. "He is not what they say he is."

The venom dripping from her voice was something that neither of her friends had ever heard before, and only reinforced their beliefs.

Rin took a deep breath, instantly regretting snapping at them. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized.

"You don't think he is changing you?" Luka asked, gently. "You don't think you are getting angry because of him? And how he acts?"

"No," she answered honestly, turning back to the dress. "I am getting angry because everyone seems to know what is best for me, and nobody will listen to my point of view."

It was Luka's turn to feel guilty. "Then tell us, princess. What is he like?"

Miku stayed silent, still unconvinced.

Rin took a deep breath, running her finger along the vines on her dress. "He cares deeply for his sisters. He is funny, adventurous. Smart."

The maids exchanged glances. It seemed they were too late.

"He tells me stories of Acacia Falls," Rin continued. "Where he used to play as a child. The things he would get into."

"What about Casbury Bay?" Miku suddenly asked.

Rin stiffened at the name.

"What about _their_ prince?"

"I don't want to speak of him."

"You cannot run away from this arrangement, princess." Miku spoke with conviction, raising her voice so the princess would have to listen. "You are promised to him already, and your father is not going to go back on his word. Falling for someone else will only make your marriage more difficult for you-"

"I said I don't wish to talk about it!" Rin nearly yelled, balling her hands into fists.

Luka watched the two with horrified silence.

"I just want was is best for you!"

"What is best for me," Rin snapped, turning around once more. "Is to never speak of that horrid place, or that horrid prince _ever again!" _

Miku glared at her, knowing it was impossible to make the girl see her side. "You will live there in a year," she spat. "You better get used to it."

With that, the maid turned, without being dismissed, and exited the room.

Rin felt the sudden urge to cry. She hung her head, blinking away the tears forming in her eyes. Before she knew it, Luka's hands were on her shoulders.

"Hush," she said comfortingly, pulling the princess into a hug. "It's alright. She didn't mean it."

Rin buried her face into the soft fabric of Luka's shirt, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Now is no time for tears," Luka pointed out, staring at the door with anger. Even if that was how Miku felt, how dare she upset the girl so close to the festival. "Tonight is a night for joy, princess."

Rin nodded, standing tall only when she was certain she would not cry.

"Do you want to know what I think?" Luka asked her.

She nodded her head wordlessly.

"I think that, from the way you talk about the prince," she began, still resting her hands on her shoulders. "That he must be a wonderful person. And he seems to make you very happy."

Rin couldn't help but smile slightly.

"And whatever happens, I just want you to be happy," she finished.

The princess nodded.

"We will have fun tonight, dancing and singing and stuffing our faces, and tomorrow, you and Miku will apologize to each other, and everything will be alright."

"Everything will be alright," Rin repeated.

"Everything." Luke pulled her arms back to her sides, creating some space between her and the princess. "Now, let's doll you up. For the prince," she added with a glint in her eye.

Rin rubbed her eyes, allowing herself a few laughs. "For the prince."

Across the palace, the prince slammed his quill down in annoyance at the sound of knocking from his door. His focus had been unbroken, studying a hunting guide when his sister's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Len!" she called, opening the door. "Are you almost ready?" She was already dressed in the ballgown she had picked out days ago, orange, yellow, and white adorning the different layers of ruffled silk falling to her heels.

"What? Is it time?"

Her mouth dropped at the sight of him. "Have you gotten ready _at all_? You look like you just crawled out of bed!"

"I've been studying," he defended.

"Where is your suit?" She searched frantically around the room for it, finding it laid neatly on his bed. "Put it on, Len! We have to be at the table in thirty minutes! And… do something with your hair!"

"It only takes me a few minutes to dress. I'm not a girl," he joked.

She frowned. "Put. It. On."

"Okay! Okay. I'm getting up. Jeez." He set the quill in the bottle of ink, pushing himself away from the desk and standing. "I'll meet you in the hall."

"If you're not out here in twenty minutes-"

"I _will _be. Calm down. I want to go, too."

This seemed to appease her enough to at least leave the room, waiting in front of his door with their sisters, all impatient.

It was only once Len finished buttoning his suit jacket over his white undershirt did he realize that he was just as antsy as his sisters. He had not had the chance to escape the castle unattended once, and he was starving for some feast-worthy food. Despite his rebellious attitude, he still quite enjoyed dancing as well.

And, of course, there was the princess. Who he would surely see tonight.

He tried not to think about that, pulling at the cuffs of his jacket to straighten them.

"Len!" Kokone yelled from the hall. "Finished?"

"I'm coming!" He yelled back, more out of nerves than anger this time. What was there to be nervous about? It was just another stupid ball in this stupid castle that wasn't home.

He opened his door, looking into his room one last time make sure he hadn't left the fire burning, before guiding his sisters towards the grand hall.

The gates to the palace were open, and the well-dressed nobles of the city were already beginning to stream in through the doors. When Len and his sisters arrived, both his parents and Rin's sat at the head table, facing the rest of the guests as they found seats. It had been a while since Len had heard this many voices in one room. The idea made his heartbeat even faster.

King Brighton sat in the middle of the table, his wife on one side of him and Len's father on the other. Next to his father was Kaori, and past her were several open seats for the children.

Without even thinking, Len set his eyes on one of the seats to the right of the King, where Rin would surely sit, but Kokone caught his arm.

"You get to sit with mother," she smiled evilly.

He was disappointed before he even knew why. But he didn't argue, pulling out the chair next to Kaori and casting his eyes towards the crowds.

The princess was not here yet. She had a flair for dramatic entrances.

"I want to go dance!" Lenka cried in protest as her mother motioned for her to take a seat next to her brother.

"Later, dear," Kaori promised. "First we must listen to King Bruno's welcome speech and eat."

Lenka pouted, sitting next to her brother with her arms crossed.

Len leaned towards her, whispering in her ear. "I think the servants are bringing sweetcakes over to that table," he said, pointing to the long mess table on the right. "I bet we can sneak a few tonight before bed."

Her frown instantly turned into a mischievous smile that made her look so much like her brother. "Can Rinny come with us?"

Len let out a laugh. "Rinny?"

"The princess," the little girl clarified.

"Yeah, I know who you're talking about." He looked to his right, towards the door leading to the west wing. "When did you start calling her that?"

"When she started playing the violin for us," Lenka answered a bit too loudly.

"The princess has been playing for you?" Their mother, completely clueless of the situation, asked with a grin. "I hear she is a very talented musician."

"She plays for us every- OW!"

"She plays for us every time we catch her at her lessons," Len finished, jabbing his little sister in the leg to keep her from revealing too much. Just to add to the realism, he shrugged. "She's alright."

That was a grand understatement.

Even though the feast had not yet started, the crowd in front of the royal families had already had their fill of dancing, laughing, and drinking for the day. They were at the peak of their excitement, waiting anxiously for the princess to arrive. They were not the only ones.

At the end of one of the tables, closest to the royal families, sat a quartet of string players, some standing and some sitting on stools, all with their instruments in hand. They were not playing yet, but it would not be long.

Len saw the door to the west wing open only slightly. His gaze flinched to the figure sneaking in the room, letting out a quick breath of frustration that it was not the princess. Instead, it was her pink-haired maid, sneaking into the room as inconspicuous as possible. She crept over to the head table, leaning down behind the king and whispering something in his ear.

He grinned, waving her back off to the door, and began to stand.

Len took in a deep breath.

"Citizens of Khaesea," he bellowed, his kingly voice echoing throughout the room. It was powerful enough to silence the sea of people, knowing exactly what was coming next. He held out his hand towards the west wing door. Beside him, Lily stood as well.

"Princess Rin," he finished.

Len's parent's stood, as well as his siblings, so he stood as well. Sure, her arrival had always been a big deal. But never deserving of a standing ovation.

But he didn't mind much.

Every person sitting on the long benches of the mess tables stood as well, whispering excitedly to one another.

All eyes were on the door, and a silence unnatural for the number of people in the room crept over.

Rin's maid swung both doors open, finally revealing her to the crowd.

She stepped into the room, the echoes of her shoes against the floor the only sound to be heard over the gentle notes played by the string quartet. Like always, an air of grace and elegance surrounded her as she smiled at the crowd, many watching back with their mouths open in awe. It was unlike her to dress so elaborately, with her deep blue dress reflecting the light of the candles with it's sparkling white gemstones, tracing the white stitched patterns of flowers sprouting from her bodice and wrapping around her. Not to mention the shining diamond necklace she wore, along with matching earrings that were just barely covered by her short, wavy hair. The jewelry called more attention to her bare shoulders and arms, another striking difference to what she usually wore.

Just before she turned to walk behind the table, she glanced over at Len with a smile. A split second later, she looked away again.

Lenka pulled at the sleeve of her brother. "She's so pretty!" She whispered in wonder.

He nodded, unable to take his eyes off of her while she stepped up to their table. "I know," he replied quietly.

She stood behind her chair, hands folded in front of her, and smiled. "Thank you," she said, loud enough for all to hear.

The second word barely escaped her lips before the crowd erupted into cheers and applause, louder than Len had ever heard. It bounced off the walls, as well as the ceiling overhead, and was so loud at one point that the prince wondered if he'd go deaf by the end of the night.

And yet, somehow, the king managed to yell louder than all of them. "Welcome to Khaesea Palace! Let us feast in celebration of our brothers from Acacia Falls!"

Servants began to flow into the room carrying dish after dish of every food Len had ever seen. Even delicacies from his home were prepared on platters, likely thanks to the servants from his home that had survived the attack with them.

Len was sitting on the opposite side of the table from the princess. To his dismay, it was nearly impossible for him to even catch a glimpse of her without leaning far against the table. And yet his sister was sitting right next to her.

He cursed Kokone under his breath.

"I'm starving!" Lenka exclaimed, eyeing the food greedily as the servants placed each dish on the table one by one.

"Well dig in, girl!" The king called to her, laughing.

She began to pile meat, vegetables, and fruit dishes onto her plate. Len followed suit.

_Rin got her "slow-motion entrance scene" and it was an absolute joy to write. Ah. Can't spell princess without Rin. _

_Thanks for reading :)_


	10. Chapter 10

"Oh, all right. Go on."

The Kagamine children had been waiting for their father to utter those words for nearly an hour, watching as the crowds in front of them dispersed from the tables and onto the dancefloor. As soon as they were given permission, they flew from the table like a flock of birds scared by a passing carriage. All but baby Alexandria abandoned their seats.

"Watch your younger sisters, Galaco!" Kaori called after them as the disappeared into the crowd. She watched them go with a frown, praying to the gods that all of them would return when the party was over.

Rin was not yet dismissed, however, still picking at her food, playing her argument with Miku over and over again in her head. She watched the girls all flee from the table jealously, only sitting up straighter in her chair when she noticed the prince flash her a brief glance before descending into the crowd with them.

"May I go too, father?" Rin asked, looking towards the king. Even Kokone had abandoned their pleasant conversation for the dance.

"You've barely eaten," he pointed out, looking at her plate. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I've just been so excited today, it's hard to have an appetite."

He let out a deep breath. Rin had kept track of how many glasses of wine he had finished since she had sat down. They were nearing eight. "All right," he grumbled, still shoveling food into his mouth. "But stay near the guards."

Rin's bored frown flipped in an instant and she stood from the table, gliding down the steps into the crowd.

So many people crowded the room that Rin was unable to walk towards the mess tables without constantly bumping shoulders with the other nobles. Each one sent her an annoyed glance, then, realizing who they were addressing, smiled and bowed to her. She smiled back at all of them, only wishing to make it to the mess tables, where there were certainly sweets waiting for her.

She made it to the table just in time to see Len, along with Galaco and Lenka crowding around a dish of sweetcakes.

"I want more!" The little girl yelled, shoving the sticky treats into her mouth.

"Don't eat so many," Galaco giggled at her sister's full mouth. "You'll choke. They aren't going anywhere, you beast."

They had yet to notice the princess approaching.

"Can we take some to our room?" Lenka asked her brother, who hovered over her, leaning against the table. Her words were nearly incomprehensible and each movement of her mouth sent crumbs flying all over the place.

Len laughed along. "We can come back for some later. Listen to your sister-" He cut himself off as Galaco looked up, catching sight of the princess and freezing. He looked over his shoulder to see what she was looking at and stiffened as well.

"Rinny!" Lenka yelled, running towards the princess while still spewing crumbs everywhere.

"Lenka, no!" Galaco shouted, horrified at the thought of her baby sister ruining Rin's dress with her sticky hands. She snatched the girl from the ground just before she reached Rin, grabbing a handkerchief and taking it to the toddler's hands.

"Are they good?" Rin asked Lenka was a grin.

Lenka nodded furiously. "So, so good."

Galaco looked back and forth between her brother and princess as Lenka raved about the sweetcakes, understanding immediately the situation.

"Lenka," she interrupted, casting a knowing glance at her brother. "Why don't we go dance?"

The girl lit up. "I want to dance! Let's go dance!"

With that, she pulled her older sister into the crowd of citizens.

Rin beamed after them. "She's so excited," she noticed.

"She's been talking about it all day," Len admitted. "It's her first royal ball."

"I hope she likes it."

"She will."

Rin flushed a bit in his presence, sitting down on the empty bench of the mess table and plucking a sweetcake from the platter. "Have you tried them?" She asked him.

"Not yet," he answered, sitting beside her. His eyes watched the dancing couples, trying not to stare at her.

She took a bite of the cake, relishing it's sugary taste. "Are you sneaking out tonight?" She asked with a sly smile.

He grinned as well. "I'm not sure yet," he answered. "I haven't gotten bored of the ball quite yet."

"You've _just _been set free," she pointed out. "You have plenty of time to get bored."

"Do you _want _me to sneak out?" He raised an eyebrow, daring to look in her direction.

"That is not what I said," she retorted, finally able to meet his eyes for more than a few seconds.

Back at the head table, the king laughed loudly with Ken, sharing stories of when they were just boys, headed to war together, when Lily tapped him on the arm.

"What is it?" He asked, drunkenly.

"Look at your daughter," Lily whispered, soft enough so Ken and Kaori could not hear her. "Sitting at the long table. On the right."

It did not take long for him to find her, smiling and laughing with none other than that Kagamine boy. His joyous mood turned to one of mild rage.

"More wine," he demanded, banging his empty chalice on the table.

"And then," Rin continued, sipping at her own cup of wine. "I was so angry with how the book ended that I _threw _it at her," she told the prince, covering her mouth to hide a laugh.

"You threw a book at your nanny?" He asked with raised eyebrows. "That's the worst thing you've ever done?"

"It was a big book," she insisted, knowing full well that her tale of momentary childish defiance was nothing compared to setting the village stables on fire. "Luckily, I missed."

"It sounds to me that you've never known the thrill of being a disappointment to your parents," Len joked.

"That's awful! Don't say that!" She swatted him playfully on the arm as he laughed. "You are not."

He shrugged, raising his cup to his lips for another drink. "Not entirely."

It was then, while she was smiling up at him, that she noticed her father glaring at the two of them from the head table over his shoulder. Her mother was watching them as well, displeased but not nearly as angry as the king.

_Perhaps this is the worst thing I have ever done, _she thought. The realization gave her an alien feeling of satisfaction. She chose to ignore her parents. Besides, they could not leave the head table with guests present.

"How is your book?" She asked, focusing her eyes once more on the prince in front of her.

"The hunting book? It's very interesting." He swirled his wine around in his cup.

"Are you having any problems reading it?"

He shook his head. "A couple of longer words here and there, but other than that, no."

She was pleased. "I told you it wouldn't take long. Only a few weeks and here you are. A literate man."

"Thanks to you," he answered before he could catch himself, still not allowing glances that lasted _too _long in her direction.

"Oh please," she took another bite of her sweetcake, chewing and swallowing before speaking again. "I did not do all of that constant studying as you have."

"Yes you did," he retorted with a chuckle. "You did it when you were a child."

"Give yourself more credit, Len. Be proud."

He took a deep breath. "I am," he admitted. "It's a huge weight off my chest."

"Good."

She took a few more bites of her dessert, tapping her fingers to the tune of the musicians across the room. There were more of them, now. Enough to fill the entire hall with the sharp trills of the violins and the deep bows of the cellos. The beautiful waltz music made her want to return to her room and practice.

Once she was done, she turned on the bench, facing the crowd just like the prince. With the passing couples, she could not help but notice each pair of eyes linger on her for a few seconds. The brazen nature of her dress was almost completely forgotten by her, but now it came back to her with full force, the exposed skin of her shoulders and collarbone feeling cold under the air of the room. She remembered why she did not like wearing these sorts of dresses.

"It feels like everyone is staring at me," she said aloud, catching their eyes even as she spoke.

Len thought for a moment. "That's because they are," he pointed out with a grin. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

She ran her thumbs over the intricate patterns carved into her chalice. "I suppose it is."

"I don't blame them," he continued, earning a curious look from Rin. "It is hard not to."

She blushed bright red, her eyes flicking back down to her cup and an involuntary smile creeping on her face. "Maybe you're not as much of an ass as I thought before."

He chuckled. "I hope not."

She was very aware of her father still watching them with the eyes of a hawk. "...Including my father," she added.

"Hm?" Len asked, deciding to finally abandon his manners and turning to her.

"My father is staring at us. Furiously." She never looked the king directly in his eye, but he was a constant shadow over Len's shoulder.

Len nodded, not daring to see for himself.

"It makes me angry," she admitted. "That he's so reluctant to let us simply spend time together."

Neither of them spoke of Rin's upcoming marriage, but both of them were thinking of it.

"Everyone in this kingdom does everything they do for the sole purpose of making you happy," Len revealed. "Every nobleman and woman, the villagers, the servants in the palace, my sisters, my parents. And your parents."

Rin listened intently, unsure what he was getting at.

"They all only wish to make you happy. Even if they have an odd way of showing it." Len looked towards the table, stopping at his father talking drunkenly to the king, who paid him no mind. "Especially your parents," he continued, turning his gaze back to her. "They love you and they only want to see you happy. Even if they have… unique ways of showing it."

Rin took another sip of her wine, surprised at his wise words. "What about you?" She asked, her anger temporarily calmed.

"What about me?"

"Do you do everything you do solely to make me happy?" She teased.

He smirked. "Why? What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to dance with me," she answered immediately. Then, after a stunned pause. "Unless you're bored already. Or..." She glanced at her father one last time. "Or unless the king frightens you."

Len looked at her for a moment before standing, offering her his hand. Both of them were fully aware of Brighton watching their every move.

"Fuck the king," Len grinned as Rin took his hand, guiding her to the dancefloor.

_That last line might be one of the most satisfying things I have ever written. _

_Thanks for reading! :) _


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys! Sorry it's been a few days since my last upload. I took a bit of a break over the weekend. I'm trying to get the most out of my summer before school starts this week :( _

_Enjoy!_

"Let's leave."

"...What?"

They had danced through countless songs, gliding through the crowds with ease. Both had lost track of time, as well as escaped the eye of the king. It was hopeless for him to even try to pick them out in the throng of people.

"I want to go to the village," he told her, leaning in close so she would hear him.

"Bored already?" She teased.

"Not necessarily. But I bet the festival has more than enough trouble for us to get into," he answered with a sly grin.

Rin thought it over, weighing the consequences of such an act against the fun it might bring into her life. They would have to go soon before the crowds thinned. The fewer people, the easier it would be for her father to catch her.

She would not be caught.

"I have to change, first," she pointed out. "They'd recognize me in an instant if I left the palace wearing this."

His grin grew wider at her agreement. "Off to your chambers, then."

Rin knew how it would look if someone caught her leading the prince to her bedroom this late at night, so she was even more determined than usual to avoid getting caught, less so because of the consequences and more so because of the embarrassment it would cause her. Luckily, most of the guards were occupied with their drunken guests to pay the two of them any mind as they slipped out one of the side doors, Rin pulling Len's wrist along behind her.

The halls were much darker and colder than the ballroom, and Rin shivered at the cold breeze as it passed over her shoulders. Neither of them said a word as they turned corner after corner, listening intently for any passing guards. It was not long before Rin pushed open the door to her room.

Len hesitated.

She rolled her eyes. "Now you decide to be polite? Get in here before a guard sees you."

He nodded, stepping into her room as she closed the door behind him.

Rin danced over to her closet. The lack of light in her room was not a problem; she knew the layout of her chambers by heart, her hands sweeping over the smooth fabrics hanging in the small room. She would need something especially inconspicuous, something that would let her easily blend into a crowd.

While she looked, the prince let his eyes fall over the room, from her large bed covered in thick blankets and pillows, all neatly arranged, to her armoire, covered in beauty products that she had been using to get ready. The windows opposite the door were the most impressive, nearly reaching the ceiling. The three glass panels were lined in detailed marble sculptures that circled off at the top. Upon closer inspection, Len realized that the glass panel in the middle wasn't a window at all, but a door, leading to a marble walkway that extended down into her gardens.

"Len," he glanced over in the direction of her voice, unsure where she even was in the darkness. "What's the plan?"

He shrugged, looking away from the source of her voice, realizing that she was probably changing. "I don't know."

"You don't _know?_"

"When I snuck out at home, it was pretty easy just to walk out the front doors with my head down." He adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves nervously. "But I don't think it will be that easy here."

"How do you expect to get out without a plan?" Her voice rang out from the darkness.

"You know this place much better than I do," he pointed out. "You tell me."

She thought for a moment, unlacing the back of her bodice. "Well, since we're here, we might as well go through the gardens."

He chuckled, still staring out the windows. "Will we be escaping through thorn bushes?"

"There's a gate at the back that leads to the river." She remembered the elusive wooden door with some fondness. "I used to play in the river when I was a child. It was the fastest way to get there."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you _have _snuck out before?"

"Don't be an idiot," she answered. "The guards were always with me. Or my mother. They were the ones that put the gate there."

"How long has it been since you've seen it?"

"...Quite a few years," she admitted. "It's probably going to be hard to find."

"Won't hurt to try."

She finally stepped out of her closet with a plain brown dress, a cloak draped over her shoulders. The hood covered her hair perfectly. "Ready?" She asked, eyes shining.

He nodded, unable to speak. How she managed to take his breath away so easily was unknown to him.

They walked towards the only light source in the room, pulling open the cool handles of the glass door with only the moonlight to guide them.

"How will we get back in?" Rin asked, suddenly worried.

"Can we not come back in through the gate?"

"It locks from inside the gardens," she explained. "I don't want just _anyone _to be able to prance into my private quarters, you know."

They hesitated before the open door as they tried to think of a solution.

"I think we should worry about it later," he proposed.

"That doesn't seem very safe."

"You knew what you were getting into," he said. "That's the thrill of it, isn't it?"

She smiled, stepping out onto the balcony. "I guess so."

They closed the door quietly behind them, descending the stairs with haste and disappearing into the gardens.

"Here!" Rin exclaimed after a few minutes of strolling through paths with Len. She was surprised how easy it was for her to find. "This is it." All around them, walls of thick bushes stood nearly twice their height. A wall topped with metal spikes lined the gardens, housing the gate that stood before them. The gentle current of the river could be heard coming from the other side.

Time had definitely chipped away at the wooden door, leaving it wet and soft with decay and covered in vines from the nearby bushes. She wondered if it would simply fall apart once she tried to push it open.

Len grabbed at the vines, attempting to pull the door free as Rin tested the latch. Rust had completely consumed the metal, but it still seemed functional. She flipped up the lock, lifting the latch with some difficulty before it sprang free.

"Yes!" Rin laughed, pushing against the door.

"Shh," he quieted her, smiling himself.

The two of them were able to push it open, though it offered a great amount of resistance. Dirt and plants had piled up against the other side over the years, and only once they could push it back would the door give. After a few seconds of pushing, it was open wide enough for them to slip through.

Rin went first, giggling like a little girl. Her first breath of air outside of the castle tasted like freedom itself.

Len followed after her, beginning to push the door back before Rin stopped him.

"If we leave it open just a little, we can come back through," she told him.

"That doesn't seem very safe," he mocked.

She laughed. "That's the thrill of it."

They left the gate open just enough so the latch wouldn't fall, and went on their way.

There wasn't another soul in sight. The river, wide enough to accommodate the many trade ships that arrived in Khaesea daily, flowed merely ten paces away from them. On the other side, the distant forests and hills looked minuscule. The moon was at least bright, and they were able to easily guide themselves along the edge of the river, sandwiched between the waters and the castle walls. Eventually, the walls turned away from them, and they continued to follow the river behind the buildings of the village until they were far enough away from the palace to avoid suspicion.

Above them, the stars shined brilliantly.

Rin felt herself shaking with anticipation. "What do you want to do first?" She asked, simply trying to pass the time while she impatiently walked towards the village.

"We'll have to see whats there," he answered, smiling at her eagerness.

"What do festivals normally have? Food, music, what else?"

"I heard a traveling troupe was in town. I bet there will be plays and other shows going on," he added.

She furrowed her brow. "Where'd you hear that?"

"The servants," was his answer. "Plus, there will be plenty to drink."

"Please don't anger anyone while I'm with you," she said, amused. "I'd rather not be dragged before my father for taking part in a bar fight."

"Taking part?"

"You think I'm going to let you fight them alone?"

He laughed loudly this time. "There will be no bar fights."

She crossed her arms. "Better not be."

"Come," he said, glancing towards the village. If they snuck into the buildings now, they would likely end up near the town square. "Let's go in here."

He slipped his hand into hers, pulling her gently towards the buildings.

From his seat at the entrance hall, King Brighton gazed over his people, his irritation obvious. Ken had insisted on continuing their conversation, which had been very pleasant before he realized that the man's son was sneaking around with his beloved daughter. Although he knew that Ken could not be blamed for his son's actions, he had to direct his anger somewhere.

While responding to one of his comments scornfully, he had lost sight of the two of them, dancing in the crowd. He had been searching for them since, but it had been quite a while since he'd last seen his daughter.

"Do you see Rin?" The king asked, leaning towards his wife.

She shook her head. "I cannot find them, either." The queen, after witnessing the smiles on her daughters face, could not help but feel a bit guilty pointing them out to her husband. "I...I'm sure they are fine, Bruno."

"As long as she is with that beast, she is _not _fine. I want to know where she is."

The queen bit her lip, looking frantically for them now. Surely they had to be here. Her daughter wouldn't be foolish enough to _leave _with him. Her flickering eyes were determined to find her before Rin's father did.

The king was a good husband, treating Lily well and with respect throughout their many years together. He did not get mad often. But when he did…

"Do you want me to go look for them?" She offered.

"We can't leave the table. What will the people think?" His breath smelled of wine, sickeningly strong. He turned his head towards his guards, waving them over.

The queen's heart dropped. "Don't you think you're being a little unreasonable?" She asked before stopping herself. "They are probably just dancing somewhere near the doors."

"I don't want them dancing at all," he grumbled, forgetting his manners in his drunkenness and speaking loud enough for Ken and Kaori to hear next to him.

Len's parents watched as the guards approached the king, all too aware of what was going on. They exchanged worried looks.

Just in time, Kokone hopped up the steps to the table to take a few sips of water. Her cup sat just in front of her parents, where she left it.

"Kokone," Kaori latched onto her daughter's arm in desperation.

The young girl furrowed her brow, looking up at her mother with worry.

"I need you to go find your brother," she said, looking at the guards with anxious eyes.

Kokone followed her gaze, her heart beginning to beat fast at the sight of the guards speaking quietly to the king. She didn't need to ask what this was about.

"Go now, girl," Ken urged her. "I imagine-" he glanced over his shoulder, making sure neither the king or the guards could hear him. "-I imagine they are not here anymore." His words came out just above a whisper, barely loud enough for his daughter to hear.

Kokone nodded, all of her previous anger at Len turning into worry. "I will find them," she promised.

Kaori let go of her arm, and the girl fled into the crowd.

_How could he be so stupid? _She found herself asking that question more often as time went on. Of course the king would notice both his daughter and Len missing at the same time, and of course he would be suspicious about it. She pushed her way through the crowds, earning many dirty looks and annoyed shouts as she abandoned her manners, before finding Galaco, Lenka, and Yuki all gathered at one of the long tables together. The girls were all red-faced from exhaustion, sitting down only to take a quick break from dancing around the room together. Kokone had been enjoying the night with them, until now.

"Have you seen Len?" She asked Galaco on her return.

Her little sister frowned. "Why?" She asked.

Kokone glanced over her shoulder at the king, who had just finished his conversation with his guards. The armored men stepped down from the head table, exiting the room through the west wing door.

Galaco followed her eyes.

"Because _they _are looking for him," Kokone answered. "We need to find him first."

"What did he do?" Yuki asked.

"He snuck away with the princess," Galaco answered before Kokone could speak. Although the oldest sister knew it was true, her heart dropped at the confirmation.

"They could be anywhere, then," Yuki pointed out.

Lenka frowned. "Is Lenny in trouble?"

Kokone grabbed Lenka's hand. "He'll only be in trouble if we don't find him," she answered. "So galaco, Yuki, and I are going to go look for him, and you are going to sit back down at the table with mother and father, okay?"

Lenka nodded, her eyes wide with worry. She would do whatever they asked if she knew her big brother was in trouble.

After plopping Lenka down in her seat next to their parents, the three sisters ran off in the direction of the palace gates.

_OOooooooohhhh the stakes are high. Things get pretty wild from here. I can't wait for you guys to read :) _

_Thanks for reading!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Oooooooh shit. Time to get crazy. _

"That was great."

"Are you kidding? They spent that entire play making fun of you!"

"And they were spot on. And it was hilarious."

Rin laughed at his words, her cheeks hurting from smiling so much during the night. "You enjoy seeing people make fun of you?"

"It's all in good fun," he answered, clapping as the actors took their final bows on stage. The play had been a comedy depicting the first day the Kagamines arrived in Khaesea, with much of its humor centered on Len's unprincely habits. Rin was surprised that he seemed to be the one laughing the loudest out of the crowd.

She pulled her cloak to further shield her face, a habit she had fallen into during their time out, and popped a few more honey-roasted almonds into her mouth. They were selling the sweet snack at the entrance of the outdoor theater, and all of her sneaking around had made her quite hungry. She had purchased a full sack of them, more than enough to last the two the rest of the night.

He stood, stretching his arms above him. He had purchased a cloak himself once they reached the city, though he wasn't nearly as worried about it as the princess. A few townsfolk glanced in his direction, narrowing their eyes in vague recognition.

"I want to see the lanterns again," Rin told him, standing too. "Almonds?"

"Please," he answered, diggings his hands into the bag. "These things are amazing."

"I know," she agreed. "I can't believe we don't have them in the palace."

"See all of the new things you get to experience with a bit of delinquency?"

"Shut up. Let's go see the lanterns."

He laughed, offering her his arm as the two walked the steps out of the theater.

It was late into the night, but the event was still in full swing and showed no signs of dying down anytime soon. Rin wondered how little sleep she was going to get tonight, though she didn't mind one bit.

The paper lanterns hung on strings and were scattered throughout the entire village. They hung from building to building, wrapping around wooden posts in the roofs, wooden balconies, and even the top of the fountain in the main square, where they all seemed to connect in their giant webbing network. They also littered the many stands, benches, and windowsills, lighting the village in replacement of the usual torches. The two of them stood at the base of the fountain. They were close enough to feel the cool spray of the water as it fell.

"Did they do this often in Acacia Bay?" Rin asked, her eyes shining against the lights.

He nodded. "We used to set them on little wooden plants and float them down the river."

"What for?"

"It was a tradition. Been around since before my grandfather was even born. Who knows why." He recalled the memories of his home with some sadness. "We would all gather at the foot of the falls and send them off."

She looked around the square, gears turning in her head. "Maybe we can grab one," she suggested. One of the lanterns sat next to a bench lining the fountain. She lifted it gently, afraid of holding it too tightly and causing the paper to crumble, but also fearing the breeze would pick it up and take it away. She turned back to him, smiling. "Now we just need to find some wood."

His heart swelled once he realized what she was doing. It would have been some sort of a miracle if he had ever had the chance to do this again, and he had known it. But now, here he was, searching the streets for a piece of wood thin enough to float but large enough to carry the lantern without getting wet.

"Here," Rin finally said, grabbing a large piece of bark from a pile of firewood far down the street from the square. The candle inside the lantern remained lit thanks to her careful hands. Len took the bark from her, so she would not have to worry about both.

It was only a few minutes before they neared the edge of the river once more. "How do we keep it from blowing away?" She asked, looking down at the light in her hands.

Len threw the hood of his cloak down. They had left the crowds behind. "Drop some of those pebbles in the bottom. They can't be too heavy, though." He lowered to his knees, the waters close enough for them to dip their fingers in. He set the wooden boat on the dirt as Rin lowered the lantern on top of it.

The candle flame flickered but steadied its light once more.

Each of them grabbed a few pebbles from the riverbed and dropped them in the top, careful to avoid the candle.

"Last time we did this," Len began, the light from the candle illuminating his face. "Lenka put a full-sized rock, along with several handfuls of stones in her lantern and sent it off."

Rin chuckled. She was almost afraid to make too much noise next to the waters. She feared that their voices would interrupt the tranquility of the night surrounding them. "Oh no," she said softly. "How far did it make it?"

Behind them, the music and laughter from the village was distant.

"Barely off the shore," he remembered fondly. "My sisters just started laughing, but she was so upset, father had to hold her back from jumping into the river after it."

"Was she okay?"

"The servants brought her another one so she would stop crying," he told her. "And then she completely forgot about the first one. At least she learned." The bottom of the lantern was littered with tiny pebbles, just enough to keep it connected to the wood. "The shores of the river were filled with beautiful blue stones. She loved them so, I guess she wanted as many with her lantern as she could fit."

She furrowed her brow. "Blue stones?"

"They glittered like gems in the lanterns," he remembered. "I have not seen them anywhere else beyond Acacia Bay."

"I cannot imagine a blue stone."

"Perhaps I will get to show you one day."

She blushed, remaining silent.

"I think it's ready."

Rin smiled, excited. She, too, removed her hood, enjoying the breeze flowing through her hair.

Len gently picked up the lantern, setting it on the water expertly. It was caught in the current immediately, flowing down the water.

"There it goes," he said, standing to watch the light grow smaller and smaller on the horizon.

Rin stood with him, watching carefully, worried it could sink at any moment. But it didn't. The two of them stood silently as the light grew smaller and smaller before it was nothing but a mere speck of light against the dark wilderness behind it.

"I could only imagine a full kingdom of those," Rin said with wonder. She folded her hands in front of her chest, letting her imagination run with the idea.

"It's definitely a sight to see," he confirmed, his eyes glued to the light. Then, after a moment: "That felt good."

Rin beamed. "I'm glad."

"Thank you."

She waved him off. "Don't thank me. I wanted to see it as much as you did."

"But it really means a lot." He turned to her. "I mean it. There were times when I wasn't sure I would ever see it again-"

"Len!"

A familiar voice called out from behind them, causing them both to finally rip their eyes away from the little light, now far off. Kokone, Galaco, and Yuki all ran up to them.

Len furrowed his brow in surprise. "What in god's name are you doing-"

"What in god's name are _you _doing!" Kokone shouted back, stepping up to the two of them. "Sneaking around out here with her!"

Rin was surprised to see the girl so angry. Never before had Kokone been anything but kind to her.

Len's expression fell blank, his jaw locked in anger.

"They're looking for you," Galaco informed them from behind her older sister. "The guards."

Rin's eyes widened in terror. She had considered the consequences, but they had always seemed too far away to worry about. And now, they were here. How could she be so naive? Acknowledging that she could be caught without realizing that she most likely would be.

Her eyes fell to her shoes, panic letting itself loose in her mind.

"How did you find us?" Len finally asked, the gentleness in his voice gone.

"We saw you in the square." Of the three sisters, Yuki's voice was the most timid. "And we followed you."

"We need to get you back to the castle before the guards find you," Kokone said harshly.

"They're looking for you too, princess," Galaco offered, wishing Kokone would at least try to contain her emotions for once.

Rin shook her head, feeling tears coming to her eyes. All she wanted was one night. _One night. _One moment of freedom, one memory she could look back on with fondness. That was it.

Len sensed her anguish, abandoning his prideful stance and leaning towards her so that they were eye level. "Hey, hey. It's alright. We'll sneak back in through the gate and they'll never know. We'll just say we were in the ballroom the whole time, okay? They'll never know."

"What gate?" Kokone spat.

"The gate to my gardens," Rin answered softly, unable to hide the strain in her voice.

Kokone took a deep breath. If they walked in through the main doors to the palace, they would surely be caught. She hadn't even thought about how they were going to sneak the two of them back in. "Let's go, then. Right now."

Rin nodded, casting one last glance over her shoulder at the lantern floating freely down the river.

It was gone.

"You've done some stupid things, Len," Kokone ranted just above a whisper as the five of them trudged through the grass back towards Rin's gate. "But this? This tops it all."

"Stop talking, Kokone." Her insults had no impact on Len at all, but every word struck Rin like a knife, and he knew it.

"Why?" She yelled, wheeling around to face him. "Because you won't listen to me? Because you _never _listen to me?"

"_Walk,_" he demanded.

She let out an angry huff of air, letting the group resume their path along the river.

_At least they found us before the guards did, _Rin though, keeping her head down in shame. She would not let tears fall in their presence, but once they were gone and she was left alone in her chambers, she would let all of her frustrations pour out into her pillow. It was the only thing she had to look forward to.

Nothing but the soft shuffling of grass was heard as the reached the gate.

Len pulled it open, holding it for the girls. "Go," he demanded.

Kokone went first, glaring at him as she passed. Then Galaco, and then Yuki, who was small enough to simply walk in.

Len watched Rin as she slowly prepared to slide between the gate and the wall, and he felt the sudden urge to slam it shut. Locking both of them away from this world, perhaps they could find a horse in the stables and go for a ride in the countryside. Or even abandon the idea of coming back at all. Anything to keep that look of despair from Rin's face.

But he didn't, knowing he couldn't abandon his parents, and completely aware that Khaesea would identify these actions as nothing other than kidnapping their princess. The entire kingdom would be on the hunt.

Rin slid into the gardens, avoiding his eyes. He fell in after her.

"We will return to the entrance hall alone," Kokone demanded. "So that mother and father, as well as the king and queen, can see that you were _not _sneaking around with the princess."

"But I was," he stated blankly.

"Do you _want_ the king to turn us back to the road again? Do you _want _Lenka and Alexa to sleep on the cold hard dirt? Do you _want _us to scavenge berries and hunt rabbits to feed our people?"

The five of them reached the steps up to Rin's balcony. As expected, Len did not have a response.

The idea of the Kagamines being exiled because of her actions sent another shockwave on anxiety through her. She halted on the steps, one hand gripping the banister, the other covering her mouth. She resisted the sudden urge to vomit and let out an audible whimper instead.

Len stopped, looking down at her with worry. The sisters froze as well, Kokone finally realizing who was taking the worst part of her insults, but pushing away the guilt for now. She would get them home safely, and _then _she would feel bad. She was the first to look away from the princess and push open the doors to her chambers.

She let out a gasp of surprise.

Len bounded up the steps instinctively, briefly remembering the attack and preparing to fight, but the occupants of Rin's room could not be defeated by him alone.

Six guards stood in the room. The door to the hall was open. They all stared as Rin, Len, Kokone, Galaco, and Yuki stopped on the balcony, but their eyes were focused on the princess.

It was the first time in her life that Rin felt the primal instinct to run. But her legs were completely frozen in place.

"Princess," one of the guards said as another disappeared into the hall. "We are glad to see you safe."

Despair filled Kokone's body. They had been caught.

The guard that had disappeared from the room entered once again. None other than King Brighton himself followed, Lily close in tow. The putrid smell of alcohol filled the room upon his entrance.

Rin's father marched into the room, his face contorted in anger, walking right past the guards, the sisters, and Len. He grabbed his daughter's arm forcefully.

"What do you think you're doing?" He yelled, his voice shaking the walls.

Rin looked away, ignoring the pain in her arm from her father's grasp.

"Look at me, girl!"

Yuki shrunk away from him, afraid. Galaco and Kokone backed away with her.

"Well?" He demanded a response from Rin, not caring at all about the others in the room.

She finally found the courage to open her mouth. "I-I just wanted to see the village-"

"I _told _you to stay close to the guards! I _told _you to stay away from that boy! And what did you go an do?"

"You're hurting me," she whimpered. He was unaware in his drunken rage how tightly he was holding her arm.

"Bruno," Lily warned from behind him.

He didn't listen. "You will have guards at your door every second of every day until you leave for Casburg Bay. They will escort you to meals, which you will enjoy _alone, _lessons, and any other duties you may have."

"Bruno!" Lily yelled again, wincing at his continued hold on their daughter's arm.

"Quiet!" He yelled back at his wife before returning his attention to his daughter. "I didn't think I would have to treat you like a child anymore, girl!" Having nothing more to say, he threw her backwards as he finally released her arm.

She stumbled, hugging herself tightly with her head hung. Never in her entire life had her father laid a hand on her.

"And you," he continued, locking eyes with the prince, who watched the situation with helpless fury. Bruno marched up to him.

Len took a step back, not hesitating to retaliate if the king decided to grab him.

But he didn't, instead choosing to lean over him close enough that Len could see and smell nothing but the king. "If I catch you near my daughter again," he began. "_You _will enjoy _your_ meals with the other prisoners in your own personal cell. Picked specially for you in the dungeons."

Len could only meet his eyes with a stone face.

"Do you understand me?" The king continued, waiting patiently for his answer. His voice was unsettlingly calm.

Len said nothing, only staring.

"I asked you a question, boy," he prodded.

To Kokone's dismay, Len opened his mouth. "If only you spoke like this to your commanders," he spat. "They might actually listen to you instead of your daughter."

The king took a sharp inhale of breath, raising his arm high to strike the boy.

"Bruno!" Another voice sounded from the doorway. This time, it was that of Ken. Kaori stood beside him, horrified. "What is the meaning of this? Why was my son not brought to us at once?"

It was only then that everyone in the room realized Yuki had slipped out of the doorway at some point, sprinting to her parents in fear. She entered once again, hiding behind her mother's skirts.

Bruno lowered his hand, turning to face them. "If you will not teach your son some respect, then I will!"

Ken glared at his friend while his wife sobbed quietly next to him. She motioned to Kokone and Galaco, who crossed the room to join them.

Something in his friend's eyes cooled Bruno's anger, but not entirely. "Out," he demanded. "Everybody out except for my daughter."

The guards did as he commanded, snapping into movement at his words. Lily was a bit more hesitant, but led Ken and Kaori out, apologizing profusely for her husband's words.

"That means you, boy," the king growled at Len's stillness.

The prince's shoulders rose and fell with his heavy breathing, stealing a glance at the princess.

"Len, please," his mother's choked sobs came from the door. Although leaving Rin was the last thing he wanted to do, he dreaded being alone with his parents even more. So he turned around, stomping onto the balcony and fleeing into Rin's gardens towards the gate.

No one tried to stop him.

The door closed, leaving Rin alone with her father, who was slowly calming himself down. He felt ashamed at the way he treated her, but she had frustrated him beyond his imaginations. He hadn't had the choice.

He took one more deep breath before speaking to her, gently this time. "I'm sorry," he said, looking at the pitiful sight of his daughter, her eyes trained on the floor and her hair hanging limply past her face. "But you have to understand where I'm coming from."

She didn't trust her voice to remain strong. So she didn't speak.

"I sent a raven to Casburg Bay," he began, Rin's gaze snapping up to him in disbelief. "I received a response yesterday."

Rin stared at him, her mouth hung open, praying he was joking.

"Queen Tohoku has agreed to wed you to her son as soon as possible."

She could not stop the tears this time. "You-You did _what?!_" She screamed. "How could you! I- I am not old enough-"

"They are on their way here already," he explained, trying to keep his voice steady. "They will likely be here within the fortnight."

Rin's voice trembled, along with her body. "Father, how could you! Why… why! It's too soon!"

"It is done."

"Why are you so eager to get rid of me!?" She wailed. "You must hate me! You must!"

"You think I want you leave?" He retorted, raising his voice once again.

"I can't! I won't! I'll- I'll run away! I'd rather hang myself from the rafters! I won't-"

"Don't speak nonsense."

"_I won't do it!_" She screamed, loud enough for the whole palace to hear. She hoped her voice rang out above the music in the ballroom, the laughter in the village. She wanted them all to hear her. "_I won't!" _

"Listen to me," he said, making no attempt to quiet her or even calm her down. "Rin, you are all I have."

"And you are sending me away!" Her words could barely come out between her choked sobs.

"Listen to me," he repeated, resting his hands gently on her shoulders.

She said nothing, focusing on breathing steadily in and out to calm herself. It did not work.

"I have no sons, Rin," he continued. "There are people in this kingdom who are not as kind as you would hope. And they are already talking about who will rule after me."

She listened, still fighting back sobs.

"And when they decided to move on the throne, you will be their first target. Because you are a threat to them. And I won't have it. So you must leave."

She shook her head furiously. "No, no, no. I won't. I won't leave."

"Unless you want people to worship you in your grave instead of on a throne, then you _will_."

The worst part of it all was that he was right. Rin had no brothers to take the throne. Even before she was sent off to rule a kingdom of strangers, she was alone in the world.

"Please, just try to see where I am coming from," he continued.

"What about Len?" She asked, sniffling.

"What about him?"

She stared at him, not uttering the words. She didn't have to.

He sighed. "What does he have to offer you, besides snide remarks and abandonment? You just saw it for yourself. He ran away like a coward."

"You demanded him to."

"He has nothing for you. And where would he take you? A cottage in the wilderness?"

That sounded much better than the fate awaiting her now.

"Besides. I promised you to Tohoku's son. A king should never go back on his word."

She had nothing more to say. Her fate was sealed.

He stood tall, taking his hands off of her shoulders. "You are tired," he commented, eager to leave the room. "It is time you get some rest." He did not wait for her response as he made his way to the door.

"Why can't I rule?" Rin asked in one final attempt to sway his choice.

He froze, the door half open, before uttering a somber laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Rin."

He shut the door behind him, leaving Rin alone in her cold, dark chambers, tears streaming down her cheeks.

_Dayum Bruno. Anger issues much?  
I've been writing the last few chapters of this fic and omg it's been so much fun. There have been a lot of scenes that I was just dreading writing out and then they turned out to be so. much. fun. omg. I love this fic. _

_Anyway, thank you guys for reading. Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed! It's really good motivation knowing you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! :) _

_Thanks for reading! _


	13. Chapter 13

_I'm just about finished writing this fic and ooooooooooo it was so much fun. I'll be uploading every other day now. I'm trying to brainstorm my next fic. I'm considering writing outside of the Vocaloid fandom, so I might do that (especially for some video games that I have been obsessed with lately), but I also want to write a completely original book, which I also might start working on. I'm not sure. Whatever it is, I don't really like working on multiple projects at once, so this might be my last full-length RinLen fic for a while :( But we'll see! If you guys want more, or have any requests, let me know! I'm always looking for inspiration :) _

_Anyways, enjoy! _

Breakfast the next morning was extremely awkward for Lillian Brighton.

Her husband, partly out of humiliation for his actions and partly due to his still-residing anger, had decided not to join them. And the princess was forced to dine alone.

So, in their places, she sat at the head of the table with the full Kagamine family in front of her. She was surprised to see the boy come in as well, looking as stoic as ever. She had been certain he would refuse to dine with her. For the first time since they had arrived, she felt pity for him.

They all took their seats, the girls keeping their eyes low along with their parents, who did not cast Lily a single glance.

What could she say to them that she hadn't said already? Her husband's actions had mortified her, and never in her life had she apologized as much as she had the night before. They could not even speak of the festival before the incident. What did they normally speak of?

"The weather will be warm today," she tried as she poked at her food. "A perfect day for a stroll through the gardens. Or even a horseback ride."

Even Lenka, who loved horses, did not look up from her food. She was not sure was had happened last night, but her older siblings all looked really sad when they came back to their room that night, and she wanted to see the princess.

The queen was adamant in refusing to acknowledge the events of last night. Len wished for nothing else than for her to do exactly that. He was tired of how everyone danced around subjects so carefully in an effort to be polite. He didn't want politeness, he wanted discussion. What happens now? Where is the princess dining? How could he get to her?

The only person in this godforsaken hellhole that didn't sugarcoat anything was Rin. The only person keeping him sane was Rin. The only reason he had attended breakfast this morning was in the hope that the king would have a change of heart, and she would be here. But she wasn't.

No one responded to Lily's greeting, and her head dropped. They did not wish to speak, and she knew that healing took time. So she allowed the meal to go on in silence.

A few minutes had passed with the door directly across from Len opened. He sat tall at Rin's usual entrance, a glimmer of hope flashing through him, but it wasn't the princess who walked through the doors. It was her pink-haired maid, alone, with a grim look on her face.

She scampered over to the queen, trying, and failing, to avoid the eyes in the room.

Lily nearly started crying at the sight of the maid. She knew they would not bother her unless it was something serious, and her mind began to ponder what dire news the servant girl was delivering.

Luka leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"The princess refuses to get out of bed," she informed her with a whisper. She tried to be quiet enough so the others would not hear, but the absolute silence of the room made it extremely difficult.

Len heard her words from across the table, returning to his meal with a frown.

Lily almost felt relieved, assuming much worse had happened. "Leave her be," she told the maid gently. "Let her have the day to herself."

Luka nodded. "Yes, my queen." She glided out, her worried expression stronger than ever.

Len, in a sudden burst of anger, stabbed his slice of boar with the knife, standing from his chair and leaving the room.

"Was he there?"

The three words were Rin's first for the day, despite the coaxing of her maids to rise from her bed. She asked them as the door to her chambers opened and closed, most likely Luka returning from the dining hall.

She hesitated in answering, flashing Miku a concerned glance. Normally, this would be her day off, but once the two had heard what happened, she insisted on coming today.

"Yes," Luka answered. "He was."

Rin faced away from them, the comforter of her bed swallowing every part of her except for her red, puffy eyes, which stared out her windows. "How was he?"

Miku sat on the edge of her bed, casting an uneasy look towards the princess' outline next to her.

Luka hesitated again. "Upset," she finally answered, though she had avoided looking at the prince on purpose during her visit. "But don't worry about him, Rin."

"I will," she answered, deciding that was the extent of the conversation.

She hadn't slept a wink that night, her mind fumbling over the events of the festival, the events after the festival, and the tortures still to come. Her betrothed was on his way. Her future was coming much sooner than she had hoped.

But the longer she thought about it, the more she remembered the prince, turning on his heels and running into the night, leaving her. _He didn't have a choice, _she told herself over and over again. She had spent the night bundled under her covers, door unlocked, in hopes that he was merely hiding out until her father left. And then he would return.

He didn't return. She had spent the night alone, miserable, in her bed. And that was exactly how she planned on spending the day, as well.

Her maids, despite being dismissed by the queen herself, did not wish to leave. "Are… are you hungry, princess?" Miku offered. "Perhaps we can bring your meals to you."

Rin said nothing, her dead eyes continuing to watch the gardens.

"We cannot let you go without your meals-" Miku continued, cutting herself off as Luka put a hand on her shoulder.

"The queen said to let her be," she informed her, defeated. "We should let her be." Then, to Rin: "Your mother wants you to take the day for yourself. A… break."

_Merely out of guilt, _Rin thought angrily. _Guilt for watching father and doing nothing. _

"So… so we will leave you," Luka continued slowly. "But if you need us, please… call for us. One of your guards will fetch us."

_The guards, right. _Her father had already assigned a unit of guards to stand watch outside her door, while the rest patrolled the halls near her chambers. The only place she was safe from them was her gardens, only because it was inappropriate for them to cross her room to get to their stations. And her father still did not know about the secret gate, only her mother.

Which means she had not told him.

The realization was meaningless, her mother could do nothing to stop what was about to come, but it was comforting to know that she had at least chosen her over her father this time.

The fact that she still had one advantage over her father's demands was another of the few beacons of hope that littered her mind. If she wished, she could leave. She could run away. She could purchase a boat from the docks and sail after the paper lantern from the night before.

But where would she go? How would she survive? She could take Len with her, but it was likely he didn't know much more than her about surviving in the wilderness. Sure, he went hunting often in Acacia Bay, but he was always home before nightfall or sleeping in a tent built by his guards. They would both be dead within a week.

It was beginning to seem like the better option.

Rin was so lost in her thoughts, she did not notice her maids leave the room. Once again, as she had been for so long, she was alone.

She had no more tears left to cry, so she simply rested her head on her pillow, looking out into her gardens, dead to the world.

Unlike the princess, Len was not inclined to emerge from his room every day. He had no duties, to people to attend to, and only meals that he was expected to attend. Before, he had, but now, he would not. He knew now that he had no hope of seeing the princess unless he found her himself.

So he retreated to his room, choosing to spend his day with his books. He was at least able to escape the world he was in by losing himself in the fairy tales and stories he had chosen on his last trip to the library. He remained so long, he did not notice the light of his window shift and eventually begin to fade.

The sun was beginning to set when a knock sounded from his door.

"What is it?" He asked, annoyed. His current story, a tale about a boy with the ability to speak to animals, was a real page-turner. He had been so engrossed in it that he felt disoriented returning back to the real world.

Kokone opened his door.

He let out a huff, letting his eyes return to the words. It was unfair to blame her, but he couldn't help but feel that, if they hadn't followed her, they would have been able to sneak back in undetected.

Kokone felt this, too. And the guilt she had suppressed from their walk back to the castle had bubbled to the surface throughout the day. She wanted to apologize to the princess, but she was not allowed to see her, either. None of the children were.

"I…" Kokone couldn't find her words. "I'm sorry," she offered, her voice merely more than a squeak.

He didn't look up from his book.

She rubbed her hands together nervously. "She won't come out of her room," she continued.

"Yeah. I know. I was at breakfast, too."

"She hasn't come out all day."

He whirled around in his chair. "And yet you came to tell me that you were right, that you knew this was going to happen, and that I should just sit in my room like a good little prince," he spat.

"That's not what I'm here to say at all!" She defended, casting a look over her shoulder towards the door. She gently pushed it closed. "What I'm here to say," she continued, lowering her voice once again. "Is that you need to go talk to her."

Len raised his eyebrows.

"I… I know she doesn't want to leave," Kokone spoke, gazing out the darkening window. "But she's going to, and she's going to regret spending her last days at home locked in her room. If mother and father or the guards or anyone asks, I'll cover for you."

"You want _me _to go tell her to just pretend like she isn't being sent away?"

"You're the only one who can," she insisted. "She doesn't need to _pretend _anything. Just… ignore it. While she still can."

Len looked back towards his books, pondering her words. Rin would definitely regret never setting foot in the library again, or refusing to dine on her veranda, or keeping herself locked away from the townsfolk. "Do the people know that Casburg Bay is coming?"

Kokone shrugged. "I am sure word has gotten around. I don't think it's a secret."

He leaned back in his chair. "I bet they will want to see her before she leaves."

"Before her wedding," Kokone corrected softly.

Len winced at the word. The fire crackled in the hearth next to him. "I'll go talk to her."

"When?"

He stood, glancing out the window. "Right now."

Rin had not moved from her bed.

An ignored tray of food sat on her bedside table, delivered by Luka for dinner. It was untouched, just as the breakfast tray and the lunch tray had both been as well.

The stars shined outside, but there was no moon. Usually, Rin fell asleep to the dimly-lit sight of the river with the forest and rolling hills in the background, but she could not see them today. She could only see the faintest hint of stars in the sky above.

She closed her eyes, willing sleep to come to her once more. Tomorrow, they would make her leave her room. The last thing she wanted to do was as her father wished, so she was determined to make a scene if they did choose to force her out of her room.

Most of the day she had spent falling in and out of sleep, waking when her maids entered to bring her food and check on her, and then drifting off again.

Her thoughts slowly began to dip into unconsciousness when a light tap sounded from her door.

She sat straight up, startled out of sleep, catching sight of a dark shadow standing on her balcony. Her heart froze for a moment, before recognizing him. Her legs swung over the side of the bed, stomping over to the door in anger. They ached at the sudden movement.

"What are you doing here?" she asked the prince in a whisper as she opened the door. "There are guards at my door. If they hear you, father will-"

"I had to come," he interrupted.

"He will throw you in the dungeons!"

Len said nothing. If not for his voice, Rin would not be sure it was even him.

She let out a shaky breath, looking back towards the door to the hall. It was firmly shut. "...How did you get back here?"

"I left the gate open," he explained. "Last night."

Despite all of the events over the past few days, Rin couldn't help the small smile that crept over her face. "You endangered the safety of the princess just so you could sneak around in my gardens?"

He grinned. "You know me so well."

She let out a single laugh, lowering her head. A sudden feeling of guilt overcame her, for being so angry with him for leaving her the night before.

"...What are you doing?" He asked, any trace of amusement in his voice lost.

Rin furrowed her brow. "I'm… standing here, with you-"

"I mean locking yourself in your room all day."

She frowned. "I won't go about like my father's little puppet, waiting for some stranger to whisk me away."

"So instead you will isolate yourself and throw a fit when someone tries to stop you?"

Her anger returned full force. "You don't know what it's like-"

"I don't?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're right. I've never been ripped away from my home before."

"That's not fair-"

"Life isn't fair, Rin! This isn't one of the fairy tales in the library! There are things we must do, whether we like it or not!"

Her shoulders heaved with every breath. Silence fell between them.

"I… I didn't come here to yell at you," he finally spoke.

"Then what did you come here for?" she spat.

He hesitated. "Everyone is worried about you."

She said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"You… you don't need to do what the king tells you, but you should escape from your room and live in your home. Experience it. While you still can."

Still, nothing.

He swallowed. "It would be a shame if you… if you left for your new home-" He was surprised at how difficult it was to gather his words. "-without enjoying the library once more. Or the people. They… they know you're leaving."

Her anger began to simmer down.

"They will miss you."

Rin's eyes fell to the marble deck below them.

"_I _will miss you," he added softly.

It was so easy to retreat into the only place where she felt safe. But the thought of leaving her people behind without even saying goodbye…

"I will miss you, too," she replied, not meeting his eyes. "Perhaps… perhaps you are right."

"Will you leave your room tomorrow?"

She hesitated. The thought of giving her father any solace in the fact that she had recovered from the night before disgusted her. But she was not doing this for him. She had to do it for herself.

"I will," she promised.

He smiled sadly. "Okay."

With nothing else to say, she draped her arms over his shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry for yelling," she whimpered, enjoying the feeling of his arms wrapped around her waist. His hair poked at her face.

"I'm sorry for leaving."

They remained that way long into the night.


	14. Chapter 14

_Hey guys! So one of my reviewers (Min, thank you so much) pointed out that I had "Moderate Guest Reviews" on, and I didn't even know this feature existed, so a lot of reviews from you guys might not have been showing up :( I have turned it off and "approved" all reviews that were in my queue. Thank you so much for pointing that out, because I would have never figured that out by myself lol. _

_Enjoy!_

_P.S. I completely forgot about this line formatting feature. Ugh. I am actually the epitome of professionalism. _

* * *

It was a warm morning, with the beaming sun shining brightly down on the crowded courtyard of Khaesea Palace. The guards posted at the edges of the city had spotted Tohoku's guards first, signaling to the rest of the kingdom that the queen and her son were merely a few minutes away.

Rin stood at the top of the steps with her hands folded behind her back. No one could see her nervously fidgeting with them as she awaited her betrothed's arrival.

Her father, who she had not spoken a word to since the night of the festival, stood proudly beside her, smiling down at his people. Her mother, on the other hand, was almost as nervous as Rin herself. She, too, had not entirely forgiven her husband for his rashness. She did not think she would be saying goodbye to her daughter for another year. With this new turn of events, Rin's courtship would last merely a week or so before she left for her new home.

On the opposite side of the stairs stood the Kagamines. If there was one person who was just as unhappy with Tohoku's arrival than Rin, it was the prince. He did not want to attend this welcoming ceremony, especially because his family played no purpose in it whatsoever, but he felt he had to. The princess did not have anyone else to share her burdens with but him.

The two families had been standing in the heat for more than ten minutes before the first of the guards finally poked through the open gates. The crowds began to cheer.

The first thing the prince noticed about the Tohokus, before he even laid eyes on them, was the ridiculous amount of guards that led and followed their carriage. Traveling during times of war was certainly not safe, but it seemed like the entire kingdom had followed the mother and son across the country. The strategist in Len kicked in, and he wondered how in the world Brighton was going to manage to feed all of these people.

The second thing he noticed was the excessively elaborate ornaments decorating the soldiers, their horses, and the carriage itself. The wave of soldiers felt like a dam had overflowed, flooding the palace courtyards with blue and green. If anyone had not been aware of their house colors before, they surely were now.

The third thing he noticed, as the carriage slowed to a halt and the doors slowly opened to reveal Queen Tohoku herself, was she strongly resembled a cat. Her expression was sly, even in the midst of all this commotion. Her disturbingly bright eyes flickered from side to side as she surveyed the scene in front of her. An ornate dress of blues and greens flowed from her shoulders, perfectly matching the ostentatious nature of her guards. She was small, shorter than Len, and thin. Her years were beginning to show through the slight wrinkles peeking out from the edges of her face, hidden mostly under her deep green hair.

If there was one thing Casburg Bay was plentiful in, it was dyes. The prince followed his mother onto the stone walkway of the courtyard, donning bright blue hair.

Len scoffed at the sight of him.

Rin, despite her displeasure with the situation, could not help but feel a tinge of curiosity at the sight of her new family. The intense glare of the queen was enough to make her shake in her shoes, but the prince did not share the queen's sly nature. In fact, she was surprised to see him refrain from looking into the crowds for too long, as if he was just as nervous as her. She didn't want to feel sympathy for him, but she realized it would be unfair not to. It was not him who arranged this marriage, it was his mother.

His mother, who's crafty eyes had fallen on Rin. The queen's expression did not change in the slightest at the sight of her future daughter-in-law.

Rin gulped as they began their ascent of the stairs.

Their guards completely filled the walkway of the courtyard, leaving no room whatsoever in front of her. For the first time in her life, the princess felt a tinge of claustrophobia.

"Zunko!" Her father greeted, grinning from ear to ear. He gently lifted one of her thin wrists and offered a kiss on her hand.

Zunko allowed him to do so, a forced smile at her lips. "So nice to see you," she purred. Even her voice dripped with vicious authority.

Rin took a deep breath. The queen would have to be intimidating, obviously. How would a woman alone be able to run a kingdom otherwise? From what Rin had heard, no one in Casburg Bay had ever even dared question her reign, even after her husband had died.

"Lily," the queen grinned at Rin's mother. "I'm so glad to finally meet you."

"Likewise," the blonde answered, offering her a small curtsey. Lily's movements were rigid, only performing the courtesy because her husband had begged of it. In her opinion, a queen who bows is no queen. And yet, here she was.

Tohoku watched her with a pleased expression, not returning the gesture. With merely a nod, she passed on to Rin.

"And, finally, the princess."

She found herself unable to speak as if her tongue had swelled up in her mouth and was suffocating her. "Queen Tohoku," was all she was able to mutter. It was a miracle she didn't stumble over her words.

She looked the girl up and down, as if sizing up a pig she was about to purchase. "I must admit, I was doubtful of the stories they tell of you. And your beauty," she offered after an uncomfortable silence. "But you do not disappoint."

Rin's eyes snapped to the ground. "Th-thank you."

"Please," she began, holding out her arm towards the prince, who had followed her introductions quietly. "Meet my son."

She didn't want to look up from her shoes, but she knew she did not have a choice. Her timid eyes met that of prince Tohoku, who looked just as uncomfortable as she did.

He was taller than her by quite a bit, possibly a few years older as well. The entire courtyard held their breath at their meeting, before the prince slowly lowered himself to one knee.

Rin's mouth hung open as he took one of her hands in his, kissing it.

"My lady," he said, loudly.

Across the stairs, Len's belled fists shook from their place behind his back. Kokone offered him a sympathetic glance, but he did not notice.

This time, it was Rin's turn to force a smile. "My prince."

"The bell blossoms are wonderful this time of year," Zunko declared, using her fork to turn over a slightly burnt piece of ham. "I cannot wait for you to see them. The Bay is absolutely the best in the world when it comes to flowers."

It was the first time since the festival that Rin and Len were allowed to dine together. However, Len was seated at the far end of the table, right next to Tohoku, while Rin remained in the middle of the table. The seat next to her was occupied by no other than her prince, who also poked at his food, unimpressed.

"I'm sure they are wonderful," Rin answered. She had hoped her worries would be assuaged at the arrival of the Tohoku's, but she had no such luck. A brick lay heavy in her stomach.

The queen sighed, unconvinced of Rin's enthusiasm. "Tell her, Kaito," she demanded.

From his seat next to her, the prince swallowed, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. "It is not the flower you should be excited for, it is the ocean. And the food." Rin attributed his previous shyness to the shock of seeing the crowds, because ever since they had retreated back into the palace, she could not get the prince to shut his mouth. "Do you have fish here?" He asked, looking first at Rin and then towards her father.

He straightened under the prince's stare. "Only from the river, my prince," he answered.

Len resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Brighton's valiant efforts to kiss the prince's ass.

Kaito frowned, glancing disapprovingly back down at his food.

"We hunt boars as well," Tohoku added. She leaned against the arm of her chair, legs crossed, as she spoke. "If fish is not to your liking, princess."

"I'm sure I will love it," she reassured her.

Tohoku nodded, her narrowed gaze still present. Rin wondered if she always looked like that.

"The trails are amazing as well," Kaito continued. "Probably the best horse-riding trails in all of the kingdoms."

Rin dabbed at her chin with her handkerchief, even though she hadn't swallowed a single bite of food since dinner began. "I have heard stories of your skills with horses."

He let out a laugh. A loud, booming laugh that gave even the king a jump. "You've heard _nothing _until you see it in person," he claimed. "That is the first thing we will do when we arrive home," he promised. "I'll take you on the best trails."

"Don't force your silly hobbies on the girl," his mother scolded. "Dear, is there anything _you _would like to see from Casburg Bay?"

All eyes were on her. She was not prepared for the question, finding simple answers to be completely adequate until this moment. Rin's mind raced to think of something, _anything _to say. She remembered her lessons with Mei, who had told her about Casburg Bay so many weeks ago. What had she said?

Rin opened her mouth, taking a deep breath. "I want to see the mermaids," she finally offered.

Both the queen and her son looked incredulously at the girl, before Tohoku erupted in laughter. The sharp sound of her cackles was nearly enough to break Rin's small smile.

"She is witty," Tohoku pointed out to no one in particular. "Brighton, you did not tell me your daughter was beautiful _and _smart."

Her father answered, but Rin did not hear him. Her smile disappeared as they talked about her like a piece of livestock.

A servant appeared between Kaito and Rin, gently picking up his goblet and refilling it with wine. He did not take any notice until he turned to speak to the princess, his eyes instead finding the servant girl.

"What are you doing?" He asked in annoyance.

The servant froze halfway through filling his goblet. "F-Filling your wine, my prince."

"Do you not see that you are standing between me and my lady?" He asked, his tone growing harsher by the moment.

Rin watched in absolute horror as the maid shook her head furiously. "I- I'm sorry-" she set the goblet back down quickly, a few drops landing on the white tablecloth.

Kaito turned back to the table with a scowl, meeting the eyes of all its occupants. "If I had known how inexperienced your servants were, I would have gifted you some of ours," he said, drinking from his wine. "Look at this mess! It's everywhere."

Rin could not help but glare at him. Luckily for her, he didn't notice.

"We are very attentive in training our servants," Tohoku informed clamly, turning the attention away from her son. "It is the only way to keep them in line."

The king smiled, completely unconcerned by the event.

She took a sip of her wine as well. "I must say, I am sorry for the loss of your kingdom, Ken." Len's father jumped at the sound of his name coming from Tohoku's lips. "It is a tragedy."

The Acacia Bay King nodded. "Yes."

"But I am surprised at the resiliency of your people," she offered. "It cannot be easy relocating so far away from home."

He sat up straighter. Apparently, Rin was not the only one intimidated by the queen. "My people are stronger than even they know."

"That much is clear." She swirled her wine in her cup. Next to her, Len watched intently. "I imagine you will retaliate?"

Len frowned.

"I cannot bear knowing the people of Acacia Bay were so easily forced from their homes."

Even Kaito let out an uncomfortable sigh at the topic.

Len narrowed his eyes. "It wasn't _easy,_" he sneered.

The sound of his voice was enough to concern everyone at the table.

Tohoku raised an eyebrow at him. "No?"

"More of their men died than ours," he informed her.

Across the table, Brighton watched their exchange, petrified.

Tohoku nodded her head. "Oh?"  
"They outnumbered us five to one. It didn't matter how many casualties they suffered, they had the advantage of surprise."

"It doesn't matter _why _they had the advantage," she argued. "Only that they _had _it."

"You say that like we simply opened our front gates to Yukari himself and showed ourselves out," he growled.

"I implied no such thing."

"Please," Kaori suddenly interrupted. "It is inappropriate to speak of politics at the dinner table."

The only person unbothered by the silence that followed was Tohoku herself.

"No," Ken finally answered. "We don't have plans to retaliate."

His family's eyes shot to him.

He did not look up from his plate. "We sent scouts to Acacia Bay a couple of weeks ago. All those who returned told us that… that there is nothing left to defend."

"What?" Kokone nearly screamed. Her sisters followed suit, despair overcoming them all. Even Kaori looked at her husband, stunned.

Ken and Bruno exchanged somber looks. "Acacia Bay is nothing but ash."

Rin's stomach dropped, casting Len a devastated look. But he merely stared down at his half-eaten plate of food.

Even Tohoku herself was silent, taking in a sharp inhale of breath and looking away from the table in shame. Ken had clearly not yet revealed this news to his family; maybe he chose to do so now to silence her offensive speech. It worked.

The dinner was silent after that.

As much as Rin insisted she was fine with her maids, she found herself beside Kaito after their meal as he escorted her to her room. Miku and Luka trailed several paces behind them, obviously frightened of upsetting him.

"It's cold here," he broke the silence as they walked.

"You think so?" She was still unable to tear her mind from the knowledge that Len's home was no more. There was nothing she wanted more than to speak with him, alone.

"It is never cold in Casburg Bay," he continued. "You will wish to swim in the ocean just to escape the sun."

Rin said nothing, mentally exhausted from the day.

He took a deep breath. "I must say, I was… uneasy on the journey here."

"Why is that?"

He paused, thinking of how to answer. "My mother has spoken about our marriage for a long time."

Rin's face flushed red, and she was suddenly thankful for the dark halls. "So have my parents."

"I wasn't sure about meeting you. How it would go."

"I believe it went fine."

He paused. "It will be better when we leave this place."

Rin was very aware of her maids behind her. Kai ignored them as if they were rats crossing the streets.

"I didn't want this," he said after another pause, finally getting to the point. "I knew it would come someday, but…"

It hit her that both of them were equally unhappy with this arrangement. She wanted to marry out of love, he did not seem like he wanted to be married at all. "Me neither," she answered honestly.

"But… but we can make it work. They say marriage is a partnership, after all."

Marriage without love sounded more like slavery to Rin, but she didn't voice these concerns. "Perhaps."

"It would be easier," he continued, stopping in his path. "For both of us, I think, if we were to spend a lot of time together."

Rin furrowed her brow, unable to hide her skepticism. "Why is that?"

"To get to know each other."

Spending more time with him sounded nearly as pleasing as sleeping on the stable floors, but deep down, Rin found some truth to his words. If she did not learn to live with him now, perhaps she would never. That would make Casburg Bay feel even more like a prison than it already did.

She nodded. "I'd like that," she lied.

_I love seeing how all the vocaloids can sort of take on entirely different personalities, and I think thats my favorite part about writing fanfics with them. Since they really have no "canon" personality, I can do whatever the hell I want, and I LOVE sneaky Tohoku and assholing Kaito (even though I also love them when they're sweet and nice). Ah. The more I write this fic, the more I love it. _

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey guys! School is officially back in session, and I will try to keep my updating schedule of every other day, but if I miss a few, don't be mad, okay? The next month or so is very, very hectic for me :( So I'm just trying to work everything out in my new schedule and hopefully keep my writing at a high priority. Either way, this fic is almost done, and I might take like a weeks break between this one and the next fic? _

_Oh, yeah. I have the next fic planned. Remember when I said I was going to take a break? Wellllllll what I think I'm going to do instead is update, like, maybe once a week for this next fic and then work on my book in between. I've never done two projects at the same time like that, so it might go really well or I might have the urge to set myself on fire. Either way, it's happening :) _

_That's enough from me. Onto the cute little prince and princess!_

* * *

"I don't think you even need my help anymore."

"...I don't know about that. Some of these longer words are still… tough."

Rin laughed. "I think you're just looking for excuses to sneak into my room at night."

"I don't need an excuse to do that," Len pointed out.

The two of them sat on the floor of her chambers, leaning against the glass doors to the gardens. The further away they were from her door, and the two men guarding it, the better. They spoke barely above a whisper. Behind them, pale moonlight streamed in through the windows.

They had been talking for quite a few hours, as was their new nightly routine. As silence fell over them, Len's smile slowly faded.

"...How is he?" He finally asked.

Rin looked down at the book in her lap. "He is… bearable."

He merely sighed.

"It's the queen that terrifies me," she continued. "When he said he wanted us to spend more time together, I didn't think his mother would tag along on _every _occasion."

Len raised an eyebrow. "Every occasion?"

"Every single one."

"I don't like her either," he agreed. "Everything about her seems… off."

Rin nodded. "But besides that… I guess he's fine."

"You think so? Even after yelling at that maid the other day?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That memory had been nearly forgotten. "He is at least kind to me."

"He acts just as stuck up as his mother," Len scowled, putting his book down on the floor next to him.

"He is a prince. He can act however he wants."

"_I'm _a prince, too. You don't see me waltzing around like I own the place."

"Not anymore," she accused.

He let out a huff. "I had an excuse. What's his?"

"That he's engaged to be married to someone he doesn't know?" Rin felt her voice raise slightly.

"Why are you trying to defend him?"

"Because he doesn't want this any more than I do!" She snapped. "Why do you ask me about him if you supposedly already know what he's like?"

Their eyes met. At the contact, the two felt their anger slowly dimish.

"I don't like seeing you two together," Len finally admitted.

She took a deep breath, moving closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder. "I know," she responded. "I just… if I have to do this, I might as well _try _to make it pleasant, you know?" She spoke slowly, afraid to let her anger bubble up again.

He nodded. "I know."

For a while, the room was silent except for the gentle breezes behind them and their own steady breathing.

"Do you need to talk?" She asked, her voice gentle. Still, it cut through the air like a sword.

He knew immediately what she was talking about. "No."

"It's been days, Len. You need to talk about it."

"I don't want to."

"What will you guys do? Go back and rebuild?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it."

She sighed, letting her fingers intertwine with his. "It's not good for you, keeping it all pent up like that."

No response.

She sniffled, resisting the urge to let tears fall. "With everything going on right now," she began, squeezing his hand. "I wonder if there is any happiness left in the world."

"Of course there is," he answered quickly. "There always is. Somewhere."

_Somewhere. _"Do you want to go to the river?"

He raised his eyebrows, looking down at her. "This late?"

"Why not?" Their noses were nearly touching. She imagined briefly what would happen if the guards were to burst into her room at that very moment. To her surprise, the thought didn't bother her much.

Despite himself, Len smiled. "Whatever the princess wants."

They pushed themselves through the door not even five minutes later, stepping food onto the soft dirt of the riverbank. The water trickled peacefully along in its path, reflecting the bright moonlight in its gentle waters.

Rin felt the tightness in her chest loosen ever so slightly, allowing her to breathe again. With a smile, she removed her slippers, sitting on the edge of the bank and lowering her feet into the water.

At first contact, she flinched, pulling her feet back out. "It's cold," she advised Len with a smile, taking a deep breath before lowering them back in.

He shook his head. "You're crazy. I bet it's freezing."

"Why don't you come find out?" she said slyly. She leaned back on her arms. "The princess wants you to."

He sighed. "Very well," he answered with a chuckle, rolling up the legs of his pants and removing his shoes as well. He took a seat next to her, letting the water flow past his ankles.

"It's so much better just being out of that room," she said, admiring the view of countless trees spread out before the distant mountains. "I almost feel free again."

"Cold water makes you feel free?" He asked.

She giggled. "I guess so."

"Well," he began. "You should love this, then."

She realized what he was doing just as he extended his arm out, attempting to push her playfully into the shallow waters, she let out a high-pitched laugh as she grabbed his arm, sending both of them tumbling into the waters with a loud splash.

The water was cold enough to steal Rin's breath directly from her lungs. She surfaced, taking in a sweet gulp of air. Len came up next to her. His wet hair clung to his face, his clothes completely drenched and hanging heavily from his body.

Had the water been any deeper, Rin might have felt a bit nervous at her body's unwillingness to move in the cold water. But feeling the sand beneath her toes, and knowing that Len was within an arms reach of her, she almost felt like a little girl again.

"Dammit," Len splashed at the water with a grin.

"You gotta be quicker than that!" Rin yelled at him gleefully. She pushed back her hair, trying to keep it from sticking to her face.

"How am I gonna sneak back like this?" He asked, looking down at his shirt. "It'll sound like I'm constantly stomping around in mud."

"At least your shoes are dry," Rin pointed out, laughing.

"Shut up," he pouted.

"That's what you get for trying to push me in," she answered, jabbing her hand into the waters, sending a small splash in his directions.

"You don't wanna mess with me," he teased. "I've spent my entire life annoying little girls. You don't stand a chance." He sent a wave back.

She dropped her mouth open in mock rage. "_Little girls!?"_

The river passed gently around them, interrupted only by the two of them wading around, laughing with each other.

* * *

"Your father has requested your presence on the war council, my prince."

Len sighed from his place at his desk. "Tell him I will be there soon," he called over his shoulder towards the servant.

"Of course." He closed the door to Len's chambers, leaving him alone.

It was much too early in the morning for any sort of talk of war, but Len's mother had been relentlessly insisting he plan an attack on the Yuzukis ever since he had revealed the dire fate of their home. King Kagamine was feeling the pressure and was inadvertently pushing it onto his son himself.

Len already had enough to worry about.

Nevertheless, he pushed himself away from his desk, the chair screeching against the wooden floors, and started down the halls.

He had retraced the path to the council room many times, so many in fact that he no longer had to look where he was going. Instead, he let his eyes roam the halls, scanning each corridor for any sign of the princess or her maids, who could possibly inform him on her whereabouts. Each night, it was becoming more and more difficult to sneak into her gardens. Seeing her during the day was soon going to be his preferred method of contact.

The council room was in the back of the castle, near the barracks and dungeons. Guards of all three houses; Brighton, Kagamine, and Tohoku - all swarmed the halls, some fully geared and others with their helmets tucked neatly under their arm. While the colors of Rin's and Len's houses mingled together, the Tohokus were never seen speaking to anyone except their own.

_It was the same when we arrived, _Len thought to himself. _But it's been so long… my men might as well be Brighton's by now. _

The thought unpleased him.

He began to turn a corner into the hall just before the council room as he bumped into someone.

He rose his head to offer an apology to the guard, but his expression darkened at the sight of Queen Tohoku. She jumped back at the sight of him like a startled animal baring its teeth. The moment she recognized him, she quickly recovered her composure and spoke.

"Ah, Len."

"What are you doing here?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

She frowned. "What a rude thing to ask."

His eyes scanned the hall behind her. It was empty. "I don't see any guards to punish me," he pointed out. And he was correct; she was alone.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Len felt a vicious sense of victory. He had no idea what she was doing in the soldiers quarters, but it was obvious that she did not want to be caught. But she had.

"I am looking for them," she finally declared. "They were supposed to be escorting me around this dreadful place today, and when I left my chambers, they were no where to be found."

Len raised an eyebrow. "And your servants could not fetch them for you?"

"The servants here are no better than crumb-hungry rats," she spat. "The prisoners in my dungeons listen better than them."

He couldn't help but grin. Here was the real Queen Tohoku. She knew no false kindness was needed in the presence of the Kagamine prince. He wondered briefly if the same thing would happen if Len happened across her son.

She was obviously uncomfortable at his triumphant expression. "And what about you? What business does a prince have with lowly soldiers?"

"War council," he answered, still smiling. "With my father."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So he actually _will _do something about this?"

She was trying to get on his nerves again and he knew it. This time, he would not let her. "He's been planning a long time. Carefully, as to not make _any _mistakes."

"Oh I'm sure," she responded, folding her hands in front of her skirts. "I can only hope he doesn't put his dear friend Brighton in danger by doing anything too… _rash._"

"Brighton has been kind to us." It killed Len inside to defend the king, but he would side with Rin's father over this witch any day.

"And what a shame that helping you could turn him into a target as well. Who knows? Maybe Khaesea is next."

"Yuzuki would have a much easier time raising Casburg Bay, I'm sure."

The queen took in a deep breath of air, her shoulders rising and falling with it as her face twisted into a glare of pure hatred at the boy.

He grinned.

She rose her head once more. "You'd better hope not," she finally sneered. "Else your beloved princess will end up just like the unlucky half of your people."

His grin disappeared. This time, it was Tohoku's turn to grin.

"You know, both my son and I are quite looking forward to our new family member," she continued. Her eyes glimmered knowingly. "How pleasant it will be, for her to give me grandchildren."

With narrowed eyes, Len felt his hands clench into fists.

Feeling she had finally won the conversation, Tohoku smiled. "Excuse me," she said, before drifting around him and down the hall, away from the council room.

Len took a deep breath, shaking away her words before continuing towards it.

* * *

_I need to use these formatting lines more. They look so clean. I can't believe I forgot about them. _

_Also, I wonder what Tohoku was doing near the war council? Hmmmmm._

_Just an FYI, if you guys ever want to talk to me directly about anything in my fics, please DM me :) I love talking to you guys and hearing what you think (good or bad!) about my fics. I almost never DM someone first, just because I'm socially awkward. Also, the first and last time I directly responded to someone who left a comment on one of my fics, I didn't know it sent to DM's and I'm still traumatized by it lol _

_You get the point. _

_As always, thanks for reading! :)_


	16. Chapter 16

_So I was just starting to write the last chapter of this fic and then my google drive just decided to stop working so that's great. I'm looking for other programs now and I think I've decided on one, so the rest of the chapters should still come out on schedule. The final chapter is chapter 23, so we've still got a few more to go :) _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

It was a beautiful day, though the winds were slowly becoming colder and colder with each passing day. Winter was just around the corner, and the weather did not fail to remind the princess every single time she dined on her veranda. It did not bother her much; she was accustomed to cold winters in Khaesea. What did bother her, however, was the unwelcome presence of her betrothed and his mother. Never in her life did she think she could despise a meal outside as much as she did that evening.

Tohoku drew her shawl closer around her shoulders. "Really, princess, you do not wish to go inside? I feel as though my fingers are about to fall off."

"Please, my queen," Rin feigned concern. "If you are cold, go sit by the fire. I'm sure my father would love to speak with you-"

She waved the girl off, annoyed. "No, no. I will stay as long as you and Kaito do."

Rin hoped that was not true.

"It's not too bad, mother," her son interjected. "Though I, too, miss home."

"The river is lovely," Tohoku commented, gazing at its running waters.

The princess offered her a smile. "I think so, too. I used to play along it all the time when I was a girl."

"You will love the ocean, then," Kaito added, seemingly unable to think of anything but home. "When we were younger, we used to do the same along the beaches."

"We?" Rin raised an eyebrow.

"My brothers and I."

"You have brothers?" She had never heard any talk of younger Tohoku children.

He nodded, taking another bite of his meal. The cooks had prepared fresh fish just for him and the queen. "Sisters, too."

"How many?" A small flicker of hope lit in her chest. Perhaps she could find friends among them, assuming they were less like their mother and brother.

"Three girls," Tohoku answered, her eyes lowering to the table. "And four other boys."

"Wow," Rin said, unable to hide her admiration. "You've had eight children."

She took a deep breath. "Not all of them were… mine," she answered.

Rin's heart dropped. As much as she hated the queen, it did not bring her any pleasure knowing that her husband had fathered children with other women. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, girl," she said softly. Her tone was one Rin had yet to witness since the two had met; a somber, reminiscent one.

Kaito did not seem bothered at all by the topic, continuing to stuff fish into his face. "It doesn't matter anyway. They're all gone, now."

Rin furrowed her brow. "Gone?"

"Married, dear," the queen answered. "And the boys have high places in the city guard."

The light in her chest burnt out. "...Do you miss them?" She asked Kaito.

"What, my sisters?" His mouth was half full of food.

She nodded slowly.

He shrugged. "Not really. They've all gone to great places. Besides, it's their duty."

"Their duty?"

"To marry."

Rin snapped her eyes back to her food, feeling an unexpected burst of rage in her chest.

"Well," Tohoku brushed nonexistent crumbs from her dress. "I am stuffed. I imagine the two of you are as well."

Kaito nodded, rubbing his mouth with his napkin. Rin said nothing.

"Why don't we send Rin with her guards and turn in for the night?" She suggested. "We have some exciting days coming soon."

The princess could not have been escorted to her room fast enough. She knew her nights with Len were coming to an end, and she was desperate to enjoy every last moment with him.

The sun was setting as Luka and Miku guided her into the room. Both of them had been present at dinner, standing silently and at a distance as to not upset their guests. They could just barely hear their conversations and said nothing to Rin on the way back to the room. Comforting words were simply not enough anymore.

"It will be cold tonight, princess," Luka advised her as they changed her out of her dress and into her nightgown. "Do you want me to bring you extra blankets?"

"That would be nice," Rin answered. "Thank you."

It was Miku who left the room. Ever since the Tohokus had arrived, the three had completely halted their friendly chit chat. Now, the room was full of awkward silence nearly every moment they were together. She was thankful to escape it. As well as the two daunting guards that jumped at every movement in the hallway outside of Rin's chambers.

When she returned, Rin was changed, sitting at the edge of her bed, gazing out the window. "Do you think it will snow before I leave?"

The maids exchanged glances. "I… I don't think so, princess," Luka answered.

The princess sighed. Miku set her blankets down on the bed next to her. "Do you need anything else before bed?" She asked.

"No, thank you," Rin responded, eager for them to leave. The sooner they were gone, the sooner Len would find it safe enough to make himself known. However, it was still early for him to arrive, so she would have some waiting to do. "Goodnight."

They bowed to her. "Goodnight."

And then they were gone.

She had only four days until she was supposed to leave. In a week, she would not be cuddling down into her own bed to sleep, but Kaito's. She frowned, dismissing the thought.

It did not snow in Casburg Bay. Perhaps she would never see snow again.

She found herself pacing around her room as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon. Her feet padded softly against the floor. Rin stepped lightly as to not alert the guards; it was important for her and Len that they believed her asleep long before he arrived.

Eventually, the light from the sun was completely overcome by the darkness of night. The stars glittered overhead. Rin cast glances towards her gardens every few seconds, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

As she had become accustomed to doing in the past week, her mind wandered to thoughts of what could be if the events of the festival had never happened. Or, even better, if her father had never arranged her marriage in the first place. Or, better yet, if she had the same power as Tohoku had; the power to rule a kingdom all on her own. If she had the opportunity to follow her heart instead of her father's orders, she would be able to stay in Khaesea and rule. And, perhaps, her and Len…

It was embarrassing for her to think about and she felt ashamed at just the thought of it as if worried someone could read her mind. It was not a good idea to let her feelings surface, but the thought of him beside her in the throne room felt like the happy ending of a fairy tale.

A shadow moved on her balcony.

Her heart leaped. She suppressed a gasp of joy, dancing over to her doors to greet him. She opened them carefully, opening her mouth to welcome him in.

But she did not have the chance to. A large hand flung over her mouth. The shadow pulled her forcefully from her room.

"You're coming with me, girl," an unfamiliar voice said.

Panic exploded in Rin's chest as she began to thrash in the stranger's arms, but he was much stronger than her. She tried to scream. Her wails came out as nothing more than muffled sobs.

It all happened so fast. She was unable to see the man who pushed her against the walls, trying to restrain her. It was dark, too. All she knew was that he was wearing a long-sleeved tunic made of smooth leather, the kind that assassins often wore. Easy to move in, easy to stay silent in.

She pushed against him, tears forming at her eyes, as she tried her best to free herself from his grasp.

"_Stay quiet!" _He whispered harshly. "And I won't hurt you."

The words did nothing to stop her attempts. She turned swiftly to her right, catching his jaw with her elbow, and made a break for her room. He was quicker than her, yanking her wrist so hard that sparks of pain emitted from her shoulder. The cold marble of her balcony slammed against her body as she fell to the ground, emitting a loud whimper at the impact. Her breath was stolen from her lungs. She gasped, preparing for another scream, but felt the man push a piece of fabric against her mouth, trying to tie it behind her head. He was on top of her, holding her arms down with his knees, and she found it difficult to breathe with his weight on her chest. She shook her head furiously, making every movement for him as difficult as possible.

Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.

She took another breath as the weight was suddenly lifted from her and opened her mouth.

"_Guards! Guards!" _She screamed as loud as she could.

She pushed herself up to her elbows, scrambling backward until the back of her head hit the railing.

Her eyes adjusted.

Len was standing in front of her, holding the kidnapper in a headlock. The two struggled against each other as Len slowly pulled the stranger towards the edge of the stairs. The man raised an elbow, slamming it down on the prince's side.

"Len!" She yelled, trying to ger her trembling legs to support her.

He let out a gasp of pain, letting the kidnapper slip from his grasp. He moved fluidly and professionally, turning on the prince in an instant. Only his dark eyes were visible under the mask he wore.

He pushed Len against the railing, trying with all of his strength to get his hands around his neck. Len was stronger but taken completely by surprise. The ache in his side weakened him, trying, but failing, to push back against the attacker.

Finally, Rin willed herself to stand, wincing at her shoulder as she pressed herself to her feet. She ran over to the two, wrapping her good arm around the stranger's and trying to pull him off. He grunted in annoyance, swatting her away with an elbow to her cheek. She flew back to the ground once more.

But the distraction was enough. Len took advantage of it, flipping the attacker so it was his back pressed against the railing, and, with a roar, he pushed him over the edge.

The attacker let out a yell as he fell. It ended abruptly with a sickening crunch as he landed on the grass below. His body went limp.

It all happened in less than a few seconds. Len's shoulders heaved with every breath as he stared down at the dead kidnapper.

The guards had burst into the room merely seconds after Rin shouted for them, revealing the sight of the injured princess, with Len standing over her.

"No, _no!_" She screamed at them before they could even move towards the prince. "Not him! It was… It was-" She looked towards the stairs.

Len turned around. "Down there," he told them, pointing to the ground below them.

The guards exchanged a few confused looks. Of the four men that had heard her calls, two of them rushed down the stairs to see who they were meant to attack. The other two remained, watching the prince closely.

"Are you okay?" He asked, falling to his knees beside her.

She nodded, holding her bad shoulder. "I think… I think he did something to my arm-"

"Your face, too," he added, running his fingertips along the bruise that was beginning to form on her cheek.

The guards rushed down the stairs, meeting the dead body with wide eyes. His assassin's tunic was unmistakable, but he had not come here to kill the princess. That much was clear. The body lay sprawled on the grass stomach first, his neck twisted at a sickening angle with blood beginning to pool from it. The guards flipped him over, revealing the crest on his chest.

It was a snake.

* * *

_Ooooooooooh Yuzuki is up to no good. _

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	17. Chapter 17

_Well, my first week of school is over, and this semester is going to actually kill me lol. I'm taking like 3 of the hardest classes I've ever taken. At least writing gives me a way to procrastinate. _

_Enjoy! :)_

* * *

There was no breakfast the next morning. Rin was told to stay in her room along with her maids, while her guards had abandoned courtesy and strode back and forth from the halls to her gardens. It was King Brighton's orders. This time, the princess did not object.

The Kagamine girls, too, were not allowed to leave their room. Len stayed with them. They were confused, none of the guards answering the questions as to why their breakfast was being brought to them today, but Len stayed silent. Even when Kokone shot him worried glances, he said nothing. The spot where the kidnapper had hit him ached with every movement and was beginning to bruise.

Even Kaito did not leave his guest quarters. Instead, the adults of the castle gathered in Brighton's study.

"I want to know which men were outside my daughter's door last night and _why _they did not reach her sooner!" He shouted at the guards as they debriefed the room on the events that took place the night before. Bruno and Lily had been awoken mere minutes after the kidnapper was confirmed dead, but it was inappropriate to call on Ken and Kaori, as well as Tohoku, until the sun had risen.

"It was not the guards that killed the man, my king," the frightened guard informed him.

"Then who was it?!"

"...The Kagamine boy, my king."

Both of Len's parents felt their hearts drop. They sat next to each other on the sofa in front of the crackling fireplace. Lily occupied the loveseat next to them, while Bruno stood, addressing his guards. Tohoku raised an eyebrow from her spot next to the fire. She stood as well, watching the scene silently.

Brighton's enraged eyes turned to Len's parents. "Do you have any idea how to control your boy?"

"That boy," Lily interrupted before Ken or Kaori could protest. "Saved our daughter."

"What was he doing in her gardens that late?"

"He told us he had been practicing at the archery targets when he heard her yell," the guard answered.

The king turned his attention back to the guard. "And did you check the targets? Was his bow there?"

"The Yuzuki Empire tried to kidnap Rin!" Lily suddenly yelled, sitting straight up in her chair. "And all you're interested in is punishing that poor boy!"

He ignored his wife, staring at his guards and expecting an answer.

"Yes, my king," he answered. "There was a bow laying in the dirt and a warm lantern. He is telling the truth."

Ken and Kaori exchanged worried looks, wondering if he really was. They imagined Len setting up his bow and arrows like props, simply to get away with seeing the girl again. It did not seem like a far-fetched idea.

The king took a deep breath. "You're sure the kidnapper was from Yuzuki?"

"He had the snake crest on his chest, my king. We are certain."

Bruno balled his fists. "I thought he had better judgment than to target my kingdom. We could destroy his entire army with only half of our men."

"And that is what we must do," Ken spoke out. "We need to attack. Not soon, but _now._"

"He's right," Lily agreed. "They've failed this attempt. What if they try again? What if they bring more men this time? What if we can't stop them?"

"Rin will be fine," he insisted. "She will be long gone before they realize their plot has failed."

"Yes," Tohoku suddenly agreed, speaking for the first time since they had gathered nearly an hour ago. She breathed heavily through her nose, her narrowed eyes and crossed arms an obvious giveaway of her fury. "She will be. We will leave tomorrow."

"_Tomorrow?" _Brighton's eyes bulged. "We cannot plan a wedding overnight!"

"Their wedding will be in Casburg Bay, as it should be," she demanded.

Lily stood from her chair. "_No,_" she answered, glaring at the green-haired queen. "I will not miss my only child's wedding."

"It was not a question," Tohoku glared back at her. "You promised me a bride for my son, and I will have her. If your guards will not protect her then mine will."

"She's already leaving a year earlier than I had prepared for. I will not let you steal my final months with her _and _her wedding."

"Lily," Brighton cut her off harshly. "Hush."

Tohoku tapped her fingers impatiently against her arm. "Then let there be a parting ceremony, I don't care. But we leave tomorrow." Her eyes flickered to the king. "With, or without her. But we are not coming back."

Lily turned on her husband. "Don't you _dare,_" she said through clenched teeth.

He stared into the fire, swearing that he could see Yuzuki's snake crest dancing in the flames. "Very well," he finally said.

"_Bruno,_" Lily warned.

"We will have a parting ceremony. And then… and then she may go."

"_No!" _Lily screamed.

Tohoku's stern expression morphed into a smile uneasily quick. "I am glad you see my side, King Brighton."

"Leave us," he demanded, speaking over his wife's angry shouts. "Everyone. Out."

Ken and Kaori stood first, heading towards their children. Tohoku gave Lily a snide look over her shoulder as the guards escorted her out. And then they were alone.

"You're a monster," Lily wailed, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I'm just trying to keep her safe," he insisted.

"By sending her away?! If anything, this should convince you to keep her here! Curse Casburg Bay, we will find her another husband!"

"She needs to leave, now!"

"If she leaves, she will be in danger."

"If she _stays," _he argued, raising his voice. "She will be in danger!"

"_What kind of man cannot keep his family safe_?!" She screamed, not waiting for his answer before pushing past him to the door.

* * *

Rin pushed open the doors to the library.

Once she had heard the news, her first instinct was the hide amongst the shelves. But Mei was there to greet her at the door.

She widened her eyes. "Princess? What are you doing here? We do not have lessons today."

"I know," she responded blankly.

"Is… is everything alright?" The book they had been studying weeks before was still on the table, unmoved. Still on the same page, as well.

"I am leaving tomorrow." The words did not seem real, even to her.

Meiko frowned. "Tomorrow? What-"

"Excuse me," she interrupted, trying to disappear from sight before she broke down. There weren't many more tears left for her to cry.

Mei said nothing as the girl hurried off towards the stairs.

Rin bounded up the steps, taking in the sight and smell of her beloved library for the last time. The fresh scent of books, some brand new and others older than her father, filled her senses, along with the occasional creak of the shelves, and the dim sunlight streaming in from above.

She knew exactly where she was going. Left at the shelf containing herbal recipes, right at the section dedicated to animal husbandry and horse taming, then straight past the ancient languages.

If she hadn't been so distraught, she would have surprised, or even thrilled, to see Len already sitting at one of the tables in their old secret spot.

He looked up at her as she appeared from the shelves, freezing.

She glanced down at the book in front of him. He was about halfway through it. "Do you come here a lot now?" She asked, unable to meet his eyes.

He nodded slowly. Surely, he had heard about her departure as well.

"It's not fair," she muttered, clenching her fists at her sides. "It's not fair-"

"I know," he said softly, rising from the table and leaving his book. It remained open.

"I don't want to go," she whimpered. "I don't want to."

"I know," he repeated, slowly pulling her into his arms. "It's okay."

"It's not. It's not okay."

"It will be."

"No, it won't." She returned the embrace, nuzzling her nose into his chest.

"Aren't you supposed to be the optimist here?" He joked.

She made no response.

And then, over her shoulder, Len spotted the maester as she came around a corner. His body tensed.

If Rin noticed, she did nothing in response.

Mei searched the shelves with a furrowed brow, clearly looking for the princess, but stopped with her eyes met Len's. They had been caught red-handed.

Len watched the old woman intensely as he waited to see what she would do. Would she yell at them? Run to the king? What did it matter, anyway? She was leaving tomorrow. Unless she ran to Tohoku or her son…

But Mei did none of those things, only eying Rin with saddened eyes. The princess was not even aware of her presence, only trying to enjoy Len, and her library, one last time.

The old woman looked back up to Len, nodded respectfully, and slowly backed away into the shelves behind her.

* * *

_Awww, Mei. Nice and secretive. _

_Thanks for reading! :)_


	18. Chapter 18

_Alright, this fic is finished and it is 23 chapters long :) Now to upload it! _

_Enjoy! :)_

* * *

The Brightons had awoken early the next morning to scour the hills surrounding the village for an appropriate setting for Rin's Parting Ceremony. After walking aimlessly around their kingdom for hours, they finally found an area that suited their desires. A tall hill to place her throne, as well as the throne of her future husband, with a wide field before it for the commoners to gather. The hill could not be too steep, as their people would spend the day climbing it one by one to offer the princess gifts. Gifts that she would take with her to her new home, once the sun had reached the middle of the sky.

By the time the event started, however, it was obvious that this measurement of time was to be abandoned. Thick clouds covered the sky, threatening poor weather, and the sun was nowhere to be seen.

Rin sat atop her throne with perfect posture. Kai sat beside her, enjoying the company of some of his military generals and paying little attention to his bride. These gifts did not interest him much, as all of his prized possessions were sitting in his chambers at his castle, awaiting him.

Her parents stood to the side. They, along with the other occupants of the palace, watched the villagers climb the hill to drop gifts at Rin's feet. The longer the day dragged on, the larger the pile by her side grew. While she beamed at every citizen that appeared before her, she could not help but loathe the act of receiving their presents. Expensive furs, delectable cakes, silks, necklaces, bracelets: all things she already owned plenty of. The people would need them more than her. Especially since many of these would be given to the Khaesea Palace anyway. The Casburg Bay wagons could not hope to carry everything offered to her.

She took a deep breath as another family walked up the hill, carrying baskets. Beyond them, the crowds were enjoying a feast provided by the palace, laughing and drinking either before or after delivering their gifts to the happy couple. But beside them, the Tohoku guard was already prepared for their departure. The caravan of guards, wagons, and carriages stretched along Rin's right side. Her horse, an impressive white stallion, was already saddled. Her step-mother wanted to waste no time in getting her princess home.

Rin's looked over her shoulder towards the palace. They would not let her return after the ceremony. Once the gifts were done, she would be off.

She returned her eyes forward, smiling at the family as they stopped before her, lowering the baskets. They were filled with exquisite meats, enough to feed half of the Tohoku guard for a day. One of the green-and-blue clad guards stood over her shoulder, assessing each gift as it arrived at the orders of Queen Tohoku. At the sight of the food, he nodded towards a group of servants, who quickly scooped up the food and brought it down the hill to the caravan. The same process repeated itself with every gift the soldier had deemed "worth taking."

"Thank you for your kindness," she told the family as they bowed to her. Silently, she prayed they would still have enough of their own to last the winter.

The Kagamines stood to her right as well, near her parents, watching with solemn eyes. Little Lenka was nearly sobbing her eyes out by the time the people began to slowly cease. The little girl could only think of the princess, playing her sweet violin as she shut her eyes peacefully at night.

Len was nowhere to be found.

The princess could not decide if she was pleased with this, or if she felt betrayed. Her mind flashed briefly to the night her father threatened him to the dungeons and he had fled through her doors, leaving her with him. But if they had switched places, if he were the one marrying some foreign girl, would she still attend his parting ceremony?

Yes, she answered herself almost immediately. Yes, she would.

Just when she thought the gifts had ceased, more people emerged from the crowd. Sometimes, there were dozens of families waiting in line for their turn. Other times, thirty minutes passed without a single person stepping forward. Whenever the latter occurred, Rin felt the pit in her stomach grow heavier, knowing that her time was coming.

Her mother felt the same. It took all of her power to keep the tears from spilling at her daughter, looking so magnificent even in her pale blue traveling dress, sitting next to that bitch Tohoku's son. She had not seen the evil queen since the night before, but something told Lily that she couldn't be far. Tohoku was much too protective of her boy, so much so it suffocated even Queen Brighton. She knew the kind of man he would grow up to be, and she prayed more than anything that lightning would come down and strike him through the heart. Perhaps it was the shock of Rin's departure making her think such terrible things, but she didn't care.

"Those are fine gifts," her husband said to her in a low voice.

She did not respond. She didn't even look at him. As much as she hated Tohoku, as much as she hated her son, Lily hated her husband almost as much.

The king was dreading this day just as much as his wife, though he was much better at hiding it.

Finally, forty minutes passed without a single person leaving the feasting tables. The people were too drunk with wine and food to be sad of their beloved princess leaving them, but it would not be long before the thrill of a good meal wore off.

"Is it time to leave?" Kai asked, turning his attention away from his generals for the first time in hours. They had been there so long, servants had brought the men chairs to sit with the prince while they spoke. Not only were they his generals, according to what Rin had heard, but his good friends as well.

"We must wait another few minutes, my prince," the guard standing beside Rin informed him.

"On who's orders?"

"You're mother's, my prince."

He scoffed. "And where is she?"

"Preparing the horses."

"Of course she is. Meddling where she doesn't belong is her specialty, it seems." He shifted in his throne so he rested on his right arm instead of his left. "Bring her to me."

"My orders are to assess the princess' gifts, my prince."

His eyes snapped to the guard. "Does it look like there are any gifts to assess? You have new orders. Bring her here."

The soldier hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. "Of course." And then he was gone.

Rin looked over at her betrothed with curiosity. "What that not your mother's guard?"

"Once I am King, they will all be my guards," he pointed out.

"You are not King, yet," she pointed out.

He narrowed his eyes. For a horrifying moment, Rin could see the startling similarities between him and his mother. "For your sake, I will ignore your rudeness."

She said nothing, looking back down towards her people and folding her hands in her lap to stop their sudden trembling.

Her eyes returned to the crowd just in time to see Len push his way into sight, standing at the foot of the hill.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared down at him.

He began to climb, drawing more eyes to him with every step. Eyes from his family, from Rin's parents, from Kaito and his guards, and eventually the townspeople as well. Surely they had all noticed his absence from his family, but no one had paid much mind to it. He had a reputation, after all. They were more surprised to see him present than absent.

Brighton's pulse quickened. Beside him, Lily watched with wide eyes.

Even Kaito's attention had been drawn from his guards. Now that he was so close to leaving, he did not make any effort to hide the disdain in his expression. Neither did he hide his scowl as Len stopped before his future wife.

Rin watched in awe as he stood over her for merely a second before lowering down to his knees. With all eyes on him, he bowed his head as well, his blonde hair falling past his face and obstructing it from view.

"My princess," he said, his voice hoarse.

She had done such a great job of keeping herself together until that moment. Her brow furrowed in concentration, trying to keep her tears from spilling. So many words swirled in her mind, but none of them came to the surface.

Instead, she reached out to him. He raised his head, taking her small hand in both of his and kissing it.

She was so invested in the moment, she barely noticed when he slipped something cold and smooth into her palm.

Her fingers closed around the item as he let go of her hand, raising to his feet. They exchanged one more loving look before he turned away, standing with his family. Everyone in the crowd had been holding their breath, all remembering the same moment from weeks ago.

But none of them were aware of the mysterious object Rin held in her hand. She did not dare to look at it now, knowing that whatever it was, it was a secret.

Kaito let out another frustrated sigh, sitting straight up in his chair as his mother's figure emerged from the groups of soldiers and servants surrounding the caravan. He watched her until she arrived, an obvious frown on her face.

"What is it?" She sneered once she finally reached the prince and the princess.

"It's time to leave," he demanded. "Now."

Tohoku narrowed her eyes at her son. Rin watched the two of them as if they were a pair of alley cats hissing at each other with bared claws. "You do not give the orders, dear son."

"I think I do," he argued.

She took a deep breath, straightening her back and folding her hands. The transformation from angry, feral beast to presentable lady was astounding. "Not until we return home. But, I agree. It is time."

Rin had been dreading those words since she was a little girl.

"Princess, please," the queen motioned towards her horse. "We will take the horses until nightfall. Then we may sleep in the carriage."

She nodded stiffly, still holding her mystery gift in her fist as she rose from the throne and marched towards her horse. She dare not look towards her parents, or Len, or her maids, or any other of her friends. They had already said their goodbyes.

Careful not to open her hand, she allowed a pair of guards to help her mount the stallion. The horse whinnied, shuffling on its feet for a moment before Rin tapped its neck soothingly. "It's alright," she said, her voice cracking.

She felt the eyes of her family and friends glued to her as they led her horse down the hill.

With both hands on the reins, she glanced down at her slightly opened palm to see the treasure inside. A pale blue stone stared back at her, the color of the sea. The color of Acacia Falls.

She bit back a sob. A rock, from the shores of his hometown. A rock among the many he used to drop into lanterns as a child. A rock that he must have scooped up as his family fled from their home that cursed night.

Understanding it's importance, Rin raised her hand to her mouth to stifle a forced cough, opening her hand just enough so the stone with slip into the bodice of her dress, where it would be safe.

* * *

Any life that was once housed in the palace had long since died away.

The halls that had once been filled with joy and laughter were now home to only whispers. Who will make a claim to the throne? How long until they do it? How many will fight for it? How many will die for it?

King Brighton did not leave his quarters. Partly in shame of sending his daughter away, unable to forget the heartwrenching stare she had given him as she rode past him, and partly in fear of his own life. The guards surrounding him had tripled since her leaving the day before, and he wasn't sure what to do with himself anymore.

Len was a target as well. He knew it, but he didn't acknowledge it. Whispers had spread of him being the only male heir left in the palace, but this was not his kingdom. Nonetheless, there were nobles plotting to be rid of the prince and his family, no matter the cost.

The vibrant kingdom had turned into one of treachery and secrets nearly overnight.

Lily dined with the Kagamines the next morning, though no words were exchanged. She did not even try. She did not feel the need to, and she did not want to. With the throne at stake, they were all targets.

The weight of those missing from the table weighed greatly on its occupants. Rin, of course, was long gone. The king refused to leave his study, as well as allow anyone inside, including his wife. And Len, well, Len rarely came to breakfast anyway.

Instead, he rested in his bed as the dim light brightened in his window. Another cold, cloudy day. The first snow would fall soon, just another worry to the people of Khaesea. Len barely noticed as the light grew brighter, reaching its peak at half that of a sunny say, and then growing dimmer once more. A night and a day since she had left.

The same thoughts played through his head like a song. _Where is she now? What is she doing? Is she warm? Fed? Happy? _He tried to imagine the answers to any of these questions, but only one was obvious.

Even his sisters dared not knock on his door that day.

His muscles ached from inactivity each time he moved, rolling over or standing to mend his fireplace. When he wasn't wondering of her whereabouts, he remembered all the moments he spent with her. The walk to the construction sites, the library, the festival. The sneaking about after her father caught them, the kidnapper. It did not feel right to end all of their experiences with nothing but a wave goodbye.

His window was dark when he sat up, unable to bear these thoughts anymore. All of his books were finished, but he wished to read more. He pulled a candle from his desk and lit it using a stick pulled from the fire.

The hallway was eerily empty. Wearing his bedclothes, he tucked his books under his arm and turned towards the library. The flames from his candle danced against the walls, his only company as he walked through the silent corridors. Even guards were sparse to come by, marching past him without a second glance. It seemed that, with the princess gone, he was no longer confined to his room.

It was not long before he pushed open the mountainous doors to the library.

Like the rest of the castle, it was dark and dreary in the night. The windows above offered little moonlight, and even less reached the bottom floor as he strode in. He was smart to have brought a candle, knowing that if anyone caught him with it in this room he might be flogged.

He crept over to the tables, setting his small stack of books down next to the candle. Where will he even look? He had found these novels by aimlessly strolling through the shelves, but it had taken him hours, even with Rin's directions. He did not want to spend his entire night lost in books. Although he would never admit it, the room was quite frightening at night, as if the friendly walls had turned into jaws just waiting to swallow him.

Looking down at his books, he found the familiar educational epic that Rin and her maester had been studying before all the commotion. _A Detailed Description of the Houses and Kingdoms of the World, _the cover read. The book was nearly as big as the table once it was opened, the thick pages scribbled with text that Len could barely recognize as letters. It must have been shared-trait of maesters, bad handwriting.

The houses were arranged alphabetically, and Len couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that they had just begun their research on the T's when their lessons had halted. He flipped the page, his eyes meeting the dreaded Tohoku name.

They had resided in Casburg Bay since the beginning of time, according to this book. The family were known for their skill with horses and a profoundly large naval port. Len read through the histories of kings and queens, births and deaths, marriages and raids. His eye caught on the birth of Tohoku's late husband, forty years ago.

He followed the line of Al Tohoku, from when he was just a boy, when he reached adolescence, and adulthood. Apparently, he had a passion for hunting, which was much less common in Casburg Bay than fishing. He had also refused hair dye, another common practice in a kingdom so bountiful in blues and greens. He had normal, brown hair.

Halfway through his section of the page, Len noticed the first mention of his wife.

_In his 22nd year, _the book read. _Prince Al Tohoku, son of Ars Tohoku, married Zunko Yuzuki, daughter of Yukashi Yuzuki. _

Len read the line again. And again. And again.

_Zunko Yuzuki._ Of… the Yuzuki Empire?

The blood in his veins turned cold. No wonder she preferred to be called by her last name, because someone might recognize her as the daughter of the man who destroyed his kingdom. She was not a Tohoku at all, but a Yuzuki. Zunko Yuzuki.

And now, she had Rin, surrounded by her guards.

Abandoning the candle, Len yanked the book from the table and fled into the halls.

* * *

_Ahhhh. I love torturing my characters. Also Min 100% called this is their reviews. Guess I gotta be a little more scuttle next time :) _

_Thanks for reading! _


	19. Chapter 19

_This chapter is pretty short as sort of a calm before the storm. Can't wait for you guys to read it :) _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Tohoku had insisted on not stopping for rest all through the night.

The horses grew more and more sluggish as the cold night wore on. The men lit their lanterns to guide the caravan through the darkness, prodding at the horses forcefully to keep them on their feet. They, too, were becoming tired from the endless walking. Casburg Bay was no small distance from Khaesea, and already their party had traveled almost a quarter of the way. They had been lucky. Not a single encounter with bandits, hordes of wild animals, or Yuzuki soldiers.

Finally, when Rin was sure the queen was nowhere near giving the orders, Rin led her horse up beside her. "My queen," she began. "Don't you think we should make camp for the night?" With every step her horse took, she felt the smooth surface of the stone against her stomach. A constant reminder of what she was leaving behind.

Tohoku raised her eyebrows in surprise as Rin appeared beside her. "Oh, no. We need not. I am eager to return home as soon as possible."

Her eyes flickered between the queen's pleased expression and the reins of her horse. "W-what about the carriage? Would you like to sleep?"

"We will move faster on the horses," she answered bluntly.

"They are tired."

"I am aware," she responded. "But we have whips to keep them going."

"But the men are also tired."

"_I am aware." _She took a deep breath. This girl was testing her patience. "We have whips to keep them going, as well."

Before Rin could stop herself, she commented. "That seems… cruel."

"They will carry us until they drop dead," she snapped, her cat-like eyes warning the girl to speak no more. "They are loyal animals. The men too. Perhaps you could learn from their devotion."

Rin nodded out of both respect and fear. She wondered how the queen would react if she crawled into the carriage on her own. It was tempting; she, too, was exhausted. Hunger growled in her stomach and she could only hope the queen would agree to stop for breakfast. The inside of her legs ached from hours on the saddle, and she was beginning to long for a bath. But Casburg Bay was still very, very far away.

Kaito followed them, hearing every word of their conversation and saying nothing.

Lily had not expected, when she yelled at the guards posted at her husbands study, that he would actually let her in.

She had not prepared to meet him face to face, and, instead of screaming at him like she so desired, she had silently found her seat near the fireplace. Her eyes wandered the dancing flames. Her husband paced the room behind her.

They had been that way for some time when they heard the pounding footsteps coming from the corridor.

"_Halt_!" One of the guards yelled. The king and queen stiffened, fearing the worst.

"I need to see the king, _now._" Glowered a familiar voice.

"What is your business with him?"

Brighton frowned, opening the door. None other than the Kagamine prince stood at his door, carrying a book heavier than the boar they had eaten for dinner.

"The messenger said the same thing when he came to deliver news of your country," he noticed wistfully as their eyes met. "What is it?"

Len pushed his way past the guards, entering the study and slamming the book on the table. Lily sat up in her chair.

"You have given your daughter to the Yuzuki Empire," he declared, jabbing a finger towards the book.

Brighton let out a laugh. "Don't speak nonsense, boy."

"Read it for yourself." Len turned to the book. "Did you know that Tohoku Zunko, before she was married, was called Yuzuki Zunko? Yukashi Yuzuki's eldest daughter?"

The smile slowly faded from Brighton's face. He crossed the room in two large strides, towering over the book.

Lily slowly stood from her chair. "...Bruno?"

He stared down at the book, reading the same line Len had discovered only minutes before. "...No," he breathed, despair filling every inch of his body. "Impossible."

"Tell me he's lying," Lily said again. "Tell me it's not true."

"Did your maester not know of this?" Len shouted. His voice shook with worry, he could not find it in his heart to be angry at the worried king.

"It was Mei who suggested-" He cut himself off as realization took hold. "But she could never…"

"It's not true!" Lily insisted.

"They don't intend to marry Rin to anyone," Len told her. "They intend to keep her prisoner." Whether it was through kidnapping or promised marriage, the Empire was determined to hold the princess ransom.

"No," the king repeated, staring at the words with horror. "No…"

Len turned to the guards. "I need one hundred of your best horses and soldiers in the courtyard in an hour," he demanded of them. "And find that maester," he added through gritted teeth.

The men did not hesitate to take orders from the prince. All but two of them shuffled from the room. Bruno did not even notice, leaning over the pages in anguish.

The two stricken parents were left alone with their remaining guards as Len ran back into the halls. Last he checked, his armor was in the barracks storage.

* * *

_I gotta admit, I love the "Savior Prince" trope. I know a lot of people hate it cuz its so overdone, buuuuuuuuuuut here we are. _

_Thanks for reading :) _


	20. Chapter 20

_One short chapter, and here's a long one! _

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"They will take the most straightforward road back to Casburg Bay. If we can cut them off at the crossroads, we can take them by surprise." Len pointed to the map as he spoke. It was hard to distinguish it's most important features in the dim light of the lantern. "So we will begin on the main road and cut across towards the mountains. But we must get to the crossroads before them."

"They are a full days ride ahead of us," one of the guards, a young man with bright red hair, pointed out. "We will kill our horses trying to catch up."

"They will be walking," Len answered.

"How do you know?"

"A caravan of that size cannot travel fast, else it will be split into groups. The more split up they are, the more vulnerable. Plus, the queen will be trying to get as far away as possible. If they ran, they would have to stop."

The guard nodded, listening intently.

"A days ride will put them in the wilderness southwest of here. If we leave now, we have hope of reaching them tomorrow night. But we must leave now."

"The horses are ready," another guard, this one a short man with brown stubble covering his face, informed them. While Len debriefed the generals, the other guards swarmed the courtyard behind them, desperately preparing for the ride ahead. "We will leave when you give the orders."

Len folded the map. "Now. Let's go."

The red-haired boy furrowed his brow. "But, the plan-"

"I will explain on our way." He ran to the horse prepared for him, hopping expertly onto its back. "We have no time. We must go now." He turned his attention to the others around him. "Saddle up, men!" He yelled. "We have a long ride ahead of us!"

They gave out a yell of determination, following the prince, regardless of their colors, out of the courtyard with no hesitation.

* * *

The longer the caravan dragged on, the harder it became for Rin to keep her eyes open. She often found herself swiftly dozing off only to jerk upright once more just before she fell from her horse. The animal below her was also slowing down a great deal. When she noticed it's head drooping especially low, she gave it a few pats on it's strong, muscular neck. Around them, crickets chirped. Shadows from the soldiers' lanterns danced against the forest around them. They were traveling along the main road to Casburg Bay, likely due to its convenience and speed, but Rin was uneasy. The most popular roads were often the most dangerous ones. With every shadow she caught in the corner of her eye, she imagined a group of bandits lurking in the dark. Her only assurance was the ridiculous amount of guards surrounding her.

Light slowly began to creep across the darkened sky. At her first glance of the sun over the eastern horizon, she decided she could not take it anymore.

"My queen," she called to the woman in front of her once more, her patience beginning to run thin. "We have been traveling all night. Please, we should rest."

Tohoku stopped her horse dead in its tracks, turning to face the girl. Rin felt small underneath the disapproving glare. At her movements, the men around her stopped as well.

A long, uncomfortable silence passed before she finally spoke. "Get the girl some food. We will eat a hearty breakfast and be off again."

The princess sighed. It was not what she had been hoping for, but it was better than nothing.

The soldiers dispersed, some gathering wood for a fire, others pulling the food supplies from one of the wagons. Rin recognized the several baskets given to her at her parting ceremony. Her thoughts flashed to the stone once more, still tucked away secretly in her dress.

Another few men helped her down from her horse. She gave out a yelp of surprise as her knees nearly gave out from under her, she was more exhausted than even she knew. The men helped her stay on her feet, leading her to several wooden chairs they had laid out for her and the queen around a warm fire. The prince did not join them, instead venturing into the woods with a few of his generals.

Rin sat down, thankful for the warmth of the flames. It was not yet bright enough to see through the trees clearly, but the fire made it much easier. She stretched her fingers in front of the open flames to keep them warm. The queen sat in the chair across from her.

They exchanged no words. Within a few minutes, the sweet smell of cooked meat filled the camp. It was not long before the servants presented the two women with a silver plate of venison.

Rin tore into hers hungrily, momentarily forgetting her manners. Tohoku seemed almost amused at her ravenous hunger.

"We are nearly halfway there," she promised the girl, leaning back in her chair and watching the flames. "We will have a feast to celebrate your arrival."

Rin swallowed, wiping her mouth with a provided handkerchief and smiling. "I look forward to it. In Khaesea, we always looked for any excuse to have a feast. We loved them."

Tohoku nodded at her words, pondering them for a few moments. "Tell me, girl. Do you hate me?"

The question took Rin completely off guard. "Of course not, my queen."

"Be honest with me."

She wasn't sure how to respond. "...I don't have any reason to hate you."

"No?" Tohoku raised an eyebrow. "I just took you from your home. Uprooted your entire life and ripped everyone you love away from you. I would not blame you."

The princess was surprised at her blunt words. "It is… It is my duty, for my kingdom, to marry."

"Do you really think a woman's only purpose is to marry?" Tohoku leaned forward, motioning to the people hustling around them. "Do I look like I need a husband?"

Rin didn't believe the words that were coming out of her own mouth, but she could find no others to say. "I only want to honor my father. And… and since King Tohoku-"

She cut the girl off with a wave. "That man was a blubbering oaf until the day he died."

Rin's eyes flashed between the guards standing near them, expecting some sort of retaliation. One did not often speak ill of the dead, especially if they were a king. But the guards did nothing.

This conversation was becoming more and more uncomfortable for the princess with every word spoken. Unsure what to say next, she added, "I… I am sorry for your loss." She took another bite of her meal.

Tohoku smiled evilly. "Don't be. I killed him."

The food fell from Rin's hands. Once again, her eyes flashed between the guards. They all stood motionless. But she barely noticed them staring back at her. Her pulse began to quicken.

"Don't worry about them," Tohoku continued. "They are all _very _aware."

"But a king's guard is sworn to protect!"

"They are not his men. They never were." Her eyes flashed with pride. "They are mine."

Rin wiped her fingers with her handkerchief. "...Yours?"

The queen's wicked smile remained.

"What's going on?" The princess looked cautiously around her. No familiar colors were in sight. Only greens and blues.

Tohoku sat tall in her seat once more. "I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet. Perhaps you are not as clever as I once thought. Tell me, girl. Who was the man that attacked you the other night?"

The memory sent shivers down her spine. "He was… he was a Yuzuki spy."

"And what do you think would have happened if he had succeeded in his mission?"

Rin tensed in her seat. She set her plate on the ground, her appetite faded. "I don't know," she answered, narrowing her eyes.

"Your father rules possibly the wealthiest kingdom of them all, with the largest military forces and the most abundant supply of food. And he only has one child." She stood. "Do you realize how important you are?"

Rin could only stare. Out of the corner of her eye, her horse stomped its feet. Perhaps, if she made a sprint for it-

"If he had succeeded," Tohoku continued. "I imagine Yuzuki could hold you for quite a bit of money. Or supplies. Or men, whatever he needed. And your father would also owe _me _a significant debt, since he would be unable to fulfill his end of this marriage."

"But he failed."

Tohoku raised her eyebrows in surprise at Rin's dark tone. "Thanks to that foolish Kagamine boy. How long had you two been sneaking around before-"

Rin stood, kicking her plate into the flames. "Len is not foolish!" She growled in anger.

The queen frowned. "You surprise me again. Did you father never tell you that it is impolite to interrupt a queen?"

They continued glaring at each other. The guards surrounding their fire had quieted. In fact, the _clang _of Rin's silver plate had caught the attention of the entire camp. Every person held their breath.

It was Tohoku who finally broke the silence. "Seize her."

Rin dashed for her horse, but she had no hope of making it. Dozens of guards stood in her way, and it only took two of them to stop her in her tracks. She thrashed in their arms, screaming and yelling at them in ways she had never done before.

"It's a shame, really," Tohoku spoke over her shouts. "You would have been such a good queen. If you had not been so trusting."

The guards bound Rin's hands in front of her with rope, holding her back as they handed the other end to Tohoku. She tugged at it experimentally, grinning at the way the princess jerked forward with every movement. Rin pulled against her restraints with all of her might, but everytime she thought she might make it, another guard appeared behind her.

"Get everything packed again, _now,_" Tohoku demanded, still holding the other end of Rin's rope as she climbed on top of her horse. "And you, princess. You get to walk."

"_No!" _She screamed, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "_Release me! Now!" _

"Calm down," Tohoku insisted. "You wouldn't want to use all of your strength. We have a long way to go, still." She held onto the rope firmly. "If you behave, I'll have the horse merely walk."

Rin's feet sunk into the mud with every step. She continued pulling at the rope, her hands bound together tightly. A flash of blue appeared from the corner of her eye.

"_Kai!" _She shrieked, desperate for any friendly face. The prince had mounted his horse once more as well. "_Kai, please!" _

He offered her a solemn look before lowering his eyes, kicking at his horse to rush to the front of the caravan, where he would not have to see her.

Tohoku willed her horse forward once more. The wagons and carriages around them began to move as well.

Rin had no choice but to follow, screaming all the way.

* * *

The weather was the only blessing Rin had that day. Clouds remained dotting the sky, chilling the air just enough so she would not faint in the heat. She had long stopped screaming, her vocal chords straining painfully every time she tried to speak.

Her feet ached with every step. She had not noticed it until they had been moving for some time, but one of her shoes had flown off while she was fighting the guards. Every time she took a step, jolts of pain shot through her body. Her dress was nearly torn to shreds, only her bodice and the top half of her skirts remained somewhat intact. Filth covered her entire body. Several times, she tripped and fell, the horse dragging her through the mud for a few paces before she was finally able to scramble to her feet once again. Her hair stuck to her face in clumps, intertwined with branches, leaves, and who-knows-what-else.

She had not slept in nearly two days, had only eaten a few bites of venison in the last twenty-four hours, and was not offered any water. The last few times that her legs gave out from under her, she considered not trying to get up, allowing Tohoku to drag her wherever she pleased. But the pain always convinced her otherwise. Her arms jerked painfully with every of Tohoku's movements. The rope itself had rubbed her wrists raw, and she averted her eyes from them as blood began to trickle down her fingertips. The sight made her sick.

Her entire situation made her sick. She had gone from princess to slave in only a few moments. All she could do was wonder when it would end.

She walked for the entire day, each moment an eternity.

When the pain was bearable, she tried to pass the time by scanning the woods around her, trying to imagine the free animals that must roam within their shadows. When she found herself bored of that, she scanned the skies for any birds flying overhead, or any sign of the sun. The clouds offered her shade, but they did not offer any rain, which her parched throat prayed for. Her mouth felt like it was lined with sandpaper, each breath rubbing against it painfully. Her head pounded, her entire body ached.

She could not help but wonder if this is what it felt like to die.

"Why," she finally croaked out, barely loud enough for Tohoku to hear. It had been many hours since they had stopped, and the light from the sky was beginning to fade. Rin could feel the last of her strength draining with each excruciating step. Maybe, once she fainted, or died, they would put her back on her horse.

No. They would not let her die. She was too valuable for that. But they would let her get very, very close.

"Why," she said again, louder this time. Every breath was a gasp.

Tohoku looked over her shoulder at the girl, a pathetic sight. Especially compared to what she had been only this morning. "Because father will be pleased," she answered with a sly grin.

"F-father?" Rin's eyes were closed more often than not. Each time she tried to pry them back open, her vision swam before her. It made her feel like vomiting, but she knew if she did that, it would only make it worse for her.

Tohoku turned her eyes back to the road ahead. Her right hand cramped from holding Rin's rope, but she refused to let go, even to tie it to her saddle. It would deny her the satisfaction of literally dragging the princess through the dirt, and she would rather die than be denied the pleasure. "Don't worry, the cells in Casburg Bay are _much _larger than those at Khaesea. Why, you even get a roommate!"

Rin could barely hear her words over her heartbeat pounding painfully loud in her ears.

"I had not yet decided who I will put you with. But I am sure any thief or murderer of the Bay will be thrilled to have a princess join them. They get lonely down there."

_Breathe. _It was all she could do. Breathe in, breathe out. If she stopped breathing, she wouldn't be able to walk. If she didn't walk, she would be dragged. If she was dragged, she would die.

So she walked. Still, the stone remained in her dress.

* * *

_Ah, I love torturing my characters :) _

_Thanks for reading! _


	21. Chapter 21

_Hey guys! Someone in the reviews asked why Rin and Kaito were engaged, so I wanted to clear it up a bit. _

_Since (in this unfortunate world) kingdoms can only be inherited by sons, Rin cannot inherit her kingdom because she is a girl. And since her father has no sons, his family will not be able to rule the kingdom once he grows old, so someone from Khaesea is going to make a claim to the throne and challenge him. Her father had her engaged to Kaito so that she would be gone when this happened, and hopefully in a safe place. _

_As you can see, that's not exactly what happened lol _

_I hope that clears it up. Anyway, enjoy! :) Only two more chapters!_

* * *

The clouds dispersed for the first time once the sun set, allowing Rin the pleasure of viewing the stars. She shivered violently, feeling chilled deep into her bones and head. A cold ache seeped from her temples.

They had nearly reached the crossroads when her trembling body finally gave out. She collapsed into the dirt with a grunt.

To her surprise, Tohoku halted her horse almost immediately. She turned to the girl and smiled. "I have to admit, princess. You lasted much longer than I thought you would."

With every breath, Rin's face sunk deeper into the wet mud. She did not care, no matter how much she willed her arms to push her up, or her legs to support her frail body, they would not move.

The queen let out a laugh. "Do you wish to sleep in the dirt tonight, girl?"

To Rin, it sounded like she was speaking underwater.

"Because that might very well be arranged."

Kai had been leading the caravan just in front of his mother. At the sound of her voice, he turned his horse back to her. "Get her up," he demanded.

Tohoku shot a glare towards her son. "You do not make the orders."

"I am the _king_-"

"You are _nothing_ but my son!" She yelled. "Do you think _this_-" she jabbed her finger towards the gasping mound that was the princess. "-will make you a king?"

He said nothing, alternating his glares between his mother and his prisoner.

"We are _far _from Khaesea. The threat is over. I bet that drunken king hasn't even figured it out yet. We have won. And if she won't walk-"

"She will be dragged," he interrupted.

"She will _die,_" Tohoku corrected. "And then this will all be for nothing."

"So what do you suppose we do? Load her up in the carriage and serve her dinner on a silver platter?"

"If you were any closer to me, I'd slap you right now," she promised. "Another word and you will be walking with her."

Rin was too exhausted to take any pleasure in their bickering. No matter how quick, how deep her breaths, she still felt as if she was suffocating. Although they were outside, the tightening feeling in her throat deteriorated her thoughts to nothing but claustrophobic panic. She pushed herself to her hands and knees. She coughed loudly, beginning to heave. But there was nothing in her stomach to empty.

The queen frowned, the sight displeasing even to her. She nodded towards a guard. "Put her back on her horse-"

She was interrupted by the sound of hoofbeats in front of her.

All eyes, except Rin, who was still concentrating on keeping her stomach, flickered towards the noise. Tohoku took in a sharp inhale of breath at the sight of the infuriated Kagamine boy stepped onto the road before them.

"You never know when to give up," she sneered at him. "Do you?"

Only then did Rin shakily raise her head. The sight of Len standing before them convinced her that she had gone mad, and was hallucinating. She shook her head frantically.

It took everything in Len's power not to charge into the guards at the first sight of the princess. His hands gripped the reins of his horse, knuckles white and trembling with rage. The entire ride here, he wondered what he would say to them, if he found them. He had come up with a plethora of greetings, from snide, to harsh, to angry. But no words could express the emotions he felt now. He said nothing.

"You're far from home," Kai called, stepping his horse in front of his mother. "But that's alright. Now we can have a prince, too."

"What have you done to her?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Rin rose her head again. He sounded so _real. _

"The same thing we will do to you," Kai promised. "How idiotic do you have to be, thinking you have any chance standing before our guards unarmed and alone?"

He was real, he had to be. Rin had long given up hope, finding it much too exhausting. But why else would they be stopped? If he wasn't real, who were they talking to?

He was real, and he had come for her.

She pushed herself slowly to her feet, the shaking in her hands reflected in the rope. To her despair, Kaito was right. He was alone with nothing but his horse and the clothes on his back. Not even a pair of saddlebags donned his saddle.

But he was not that stupid, and Rin knew that. She lowered her head, letting her eyes wander into the trees around them. Shadows, movements flickered between the trees; movements that were not natural to the forest. He was not alone, he was waiting for his chance to strike.

Tohoku watched the Kagamine boy with a frown as him and her son exchanged jeers. Rin's rope was wrapped tightly around her wrist, forgotten for the moment.

Friends, family, protection waited for her in the trees. She just needed to give them an opportunity to strike.

Using the very last of her strength, she dug her fingers into the rough twine of her rope, shot Len a knowing glance, and threw herself backward into the mud for the last time.

Tohoku let out a yelp as the rope pulled her arm backwards, letting out a sickening _crack. _She flew from her horse, tumbling onto her back with a groan.

Kai turned his attention away from the prince. "Mother-"

Len did not have to say anything for his men to appear from the bushes with a cry.

The caravan was so large, it was difficult for anyone in the back half to know why they had even stopped. That meant roughly half the guards were unaware they were being attacked, and would be unaware until it was too late. The element of surprise was on their side. They drew their swords, clashing it into the Tohoku forces with ease.

Rin found herself rolling on the dirt in pain, worried a stray horse would find and trample her. She was too disoriented for anything else. Tohoku lay near her in a similar manner, the end of her rope laying freely in the mud.

Before Rin could process what had happened, a pair of hands grabbed her, pulling her from the dirt and onto a horse. Her ropes were cut free and pulled away. She let out a gasp of pain as the blisters around her wrists were torn, beginning to bleed once again. But she was able to move her hands away from each other. Her shoulders thanked her.

Her vision was nothing but a flurry of lights and blurred shapes. She noticed them growing smaller, distancing themselves from her. Or maybe she was distancing herself from them. She could not tell. The shouts grew quieter, the sounds of metal on metal faded slowly, and all that remained was the steady hoofbeats of a horse and a warm body next to her as Rin closed her eyes and faded out of consciousness.

She was out by the time the sounds of battle were swallowed by the night.

Len did not wait for his men, no matter how much he wanted to. Once they had agreed on a plan, they had insisted that he return to the palace with her, whether they came as well or not. They did not know who else lurked in these woods, and while there was safety in numbers, there was also safety in speed.

Her limp figure sat on the saddle in front of him, both of her legs hanging off the same side. She leaned against him with her eyes closed, enjoying her first rest in a long time. He held her with one hand and the reins with the other.

His horse had behaved wonderfully since they had left the palace a day and a half ago, but with the added weight of another person, it was only able to run another hour or so before shaking its head dismissively, snorting in protest and slowing to a halt. Len let out a frustrated breath. He could not convince the horse however, so he decided to comply, sliding from its back and taking Rin with him. The stallion lowered its head to the grass below. A river could be heard nearby.

Len took it as a chance to clean the wounds on the princess' hands and feet. He didn't even want to look at what they had done to her, but ignoring it would make it much, much worse. Her arms, legs, and face were all covered in dirt and mud, littered with scratches, some of them still bleeding. But the worst was her wrists, rubbed raw and letting loose a disturbing amount of blood. While the horse grazed, he carried her to the river, setting her down gently and washing her wounds with haste. He did not have a lantern. However, the moon was bright, as if smiling down at him.

The river turned a light shade of red as it flowed past her wrists, but it cleaned them well. He tore small strips from his tunic and wrapped one around each hand. It was not the best method, but it would keep her alive until they arrived home. Next, her feet. They were just as bad. He was thankful that she had fallen unconscious and he cleaned them, as this was probably very painful for her.

They had been there for quite a while when Len froze. Hoofbeats came from the road, and he remembered his horse. Whoever it was, they would know he was here. He could only pray that-

"My prince?" A familiar voice called. He let out a sigh of relief.

"By the river," he called, turning his attention back to Rin's wounds. Her head leaned against his shoulder, grimacing even in her sleep as he washed her in the river.

The red-haired guard, Fukase, he was called, rode up behind them. He had many of their men - but not all - following. "My god," he muttered at the sight of the girl.

"What happened?" He asked the general.

"The Tohokus have fled. Most of our men were able to escape before the rest of the caravan realized what had happened."

Len cast a look over his shoulder and frowned. "Did we really lose that many people?"

"No, my prince," he answered. "We were separated from the others. They… they managed to take the prince."

"What?!"

"They decided it would not be smart to follow us, as the queen will chase after him before they chase after you," he pointed out.

The news struck Len with a bolt of excitement. "Where did they go?"

"I do not know."

He shook his head. They were smart to split up from the main group. "All we can do is hope they return. Let the horses drink and graze for a while. When she is ready, we will set off again. And we will run."

Fukase nodded. "Of course."

The villagers and Khaesea were curious as to why the Kagamine prince was leading a large group of men through their streets so late at night. The day after, news of Rin's capture had spread through the town like wildfire.

Because of this, the people were even more anxious when the hoofbeats returned the next night, much slower. They fled to their windows, throwing open their doors and crowding into the streets to catch a glimpse of the prince, as well as the small bundle huddled in front of him on his horse. It was the princess, no doubt, but her eyes were peacefully closed. Some wailed at the sight of her. Was she alive? Unconscious? Dead?

The guards eased their worries with their words, but this was no time for celebration. Not yet.

They rode slowly through the darkened streets. Len ignored their whispers and stares, having eyes for only the steady rise and fall of Rin's shoulders as she breathed. She was too weak for his liking, but she was home. And here, she would be able to heal.

By the time Len and the guards reached the courtyard, they had gathered a crowd of followers. He glanced up at the forms of Lily and Bruno, each hunched over and sick with worry. The queen, especially, as she was holding a cloth to her nose and sniffling incessantly into it. At the sight of her daughter, bundled up in Len's arms, she let out a wail.

The rest of the guards stopped their horses at the stairs, but Len continued, his horse slowly climbing the steps as he had so many times. Only once he reached the top did he dismount, pulling the princess with him.

In her sleep, she took a deep breath, pulling the cloak Len had covered her with closer to her face for warmth.

Her maids stood behind the king and queen, rushing forward at the movement. "Princess-" they exclaimed simultaneously, peeking into the bundle Len carried as if she were a newborn.

She did not wake.

"Where should I take her?" Len asked the king.

Brighton had never been so happy to see the boy in his life. "Her quarters," he answered immediately, turning towards another group of guards and motioning them towards him. "Escort them," he ordered. "And… don't bother the prince."

Len did not wait for them, carrying her into the palace as they followed behind. The sweet air of the halls greeted him.

"Prince," the pink-haired maid called, both her and her partner falling in at his sides. "What happened to her?"

He glanced over his shoulder, making sure he was out of earshot of Rin's parents before answering. He would tell them, too. But now was not the time. "When we found her," he began, biting back his own remorse. "Tohoku had her bound to the horse. She was pulled behind it."

Miku's face contorted into one of absolute horror. "How-how long?"

"I don't know."

Luka swept a strand of Rin's dirty hair from her face. "When did she sleep?"

"She fainted when we attacked them," he answered bluntly. He did not mind the maid's questions, as he had many of the same. But reliving the moment was difficult for him. "She hasn't woken up since."

"She needs to eat," Miku pointed out. "And drink."

"She needs to rest," he argued.

"We will bring her food and water. If she wakes during the night, she will eat," Luka compromised. "We will stay with her."

"I will, too," he stated.

The maids exchanged glances, saying nothing.

Her chambers were exactly as she had left it. They had not even changed the sheets since the morning of the parting ceremony. The group flooded into the room, a set of guards heading to her gardens while several others remained at her door, Len setting her gently down in her bed, and the maids fleeing into her closet for a change of clothes.

The prince stood facing the wall as they changed her. The state of her traveling dress made it fairly easy to remove, changing her into a pure white silk slip that would be most comfortable for her to sleep in. The maids cringed at her wrists, bloodied through Len's makeshift bandages, as well as her feet.

As Luka grabbed the tattered remains of her traveling dress, a small _thud _echoed on the wooden floor. The maid picked up the stone curiously.

"What is it?" Miku asked, tucking the thick comforter over the princess. "She is dressed," she called towards the prince.

"A stone," Luka answered.

Len whirled around, spotting the gift in her fingers. "May I… may I see it?" He asked, stunned that it had stuck with her this long.

Luka nodded, handing it to him. She shook out the dress to see if anything else of interest fell out. Nothing but dirt and dried specks of mud.

He turned the stone over in his fingers and pocketed it. Not a speck of dirt littered it. "I will keep it for her," he told them.

Luka nodded, still holding the ripped bundle of rags. "These must be burned. Miku, light the fire while I wake the cooks."

"Will do," her partner answered.

As the two scrambled around the room, Len dragged a chair from Rin's sitting table, setting it next to her bed and sitting in it.

The princess let out a content sigh in her sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

_Sorry I'm late guys! This week really through a lot of shit at me, my head has been killing me and I don't know why, and I'm going on a little mini-vacation next week, so I'll get this chapter and the final chapter both out today so that I can finish all this other stuff before worrying about the next fic. I plan to start uploading the next fic in about two-three weeks, so I can get my shit together and get a bit of a head start on the chapters. _

_Either way, that's enough about my crazy life. Here are the last two chapters :) Enjoy!_

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The commotion soon came to an end, and Luka, Miku, and Len all found their places to rest around Rin's bed while she slept. A tray of fresh food sat on her bedside table for when she woke. The trio said nothing as they watched her breathing with worried expressions, torn between the fear of interrupting her sleep and their wishes to wake her up.

Len eventually rested his head on the bed, resting his eyes. Miku rested an elbow on the comforter, leaning her head into her palm, and began to drift off as well. Luka was determined to watch until the princess opened her eyes once more.

She could not believe it, but it seemed as if their maester had helped in the arrangement of Rin's kidnapping. Mei had disappeared the day _before _Rin was sent away, and she had not been found within the city or anywhere in Tohoku's caravan. It was as if she just vanished into thin air.

What could have tempted her to do such a thing? Perhaps Tohoku promised her a great amount of gold, or a home where she did not have to serve a royal family any longer. Or maybe she believed Yuzuki was winning this war, and surrendered the princess to flee to the safe side. Luka doubted she would ever know for sure what was going through the old lady's mind when she decided on such a severe betrayal. But if she ever saw her again…

Luka, too, began to drift away with her thoughts of revenge. It had been a long, long night for all three of them.

Rin shifted under her covers, and they all perked up, suddenly wide awake.

The princess took a deep breath, moving stiffly onto her back, her eyes fluttering open slowly.

"Rin?" Len asked, standing from his chair.

"Princess? Are you all right?" Miku mirrored his movements at her side. Luka, closer to the foot of her bed, remained seated.

"What-" she looked around, her tired eyes adjusting to the dim light of her room. "Where am I?"

"Home," Miku answered, wishing more than anything to grab one of her hands and hold it. With the state of her wounds, she did not dare. "You're home and you're safe."

Rin shook her head, still disoriented from her long sleep. "I don't… I-"

"Shhh," Len hushed softly. "It's okay. Just rest."

"How did I… what happened?"

"We came for you," Len told her, his hands shaking. "We saved you."

"Stop being so modest, prince," Luka told him with a smile. She turned her eyes to the waking princess. "He led the charge. Pulled you away from those monsters himself."

She could barely believe it. Her body ached, but not as before. Her arms were free, her wrists were bandaged, her feet were washed, and her stomach was ravenous. She could not remember the last meal she had eaten.

"Is that-" she looked towards the platter, the bread and cheese on it becoming stale.

"Oh, princess, it's bad. Let me get you some more-"

"No," she insisted, grabbing her maid's arm as she stood. "I need it. Now."

Miku nodded, setting the tray on her lap gently as Rin tore into the food. Her fingers screamed in protest with every movement, but it was worth the feeling of a full stomach.

"Not too fast," Len insisted. "Slow down."

Rin barely heard him. She grabbed the water jug on her bedside table, abandoning the idea of a cup and drinking straight from the jug.

"Go tell them that she's awake," Len told the maids. "And that she needs a doctor."

The two nodded, casting the princess one last relieved glance as they left their places by her side and exited to the door.

When she could eat no more, she set the food down with a sigh, breathing steadily. Len was right, eating too much too fast would only make her sick again. Her stomach grumbled at the sudden intrusions but settled before long.

"I thought… I thought I'd walk with them for the rest of my life," she finally said, staring down at the half-eaten plate. "And when I saw you, I thought I was going mad. I thought I had finally lost my mind."

"But you didn't," he answered.

"How did you know? That she was-"

"Yuzuki's daughter?"

Rin nodded.

He took a deep breath. "That book that you and your… you and the maester were studying. The page about the Tohokus told me."

She narrowed her eyes. "But that can't be. Mei knew that whole book from cover to-"

"We think she set you up," he informed her with a frown.

"What? She would never-"

Len did not want to tell her this news when she was so fragile. "Let's… let's talk about it later. When you're feeling better."

"I feel fine," she insisted.

"No you don't," he argued, looking down at her hands. Even though she was finally conscious, her eyes remained sunk into her skull, her skin deathly pale, and her hands...

She followed his gaze, nearly forgetting about her bloodied wrists. "Oh," was all she could say at the bandages.

"I wanted to kill them all," he muttered. "When I saw what they were doing to you."

Despite herself, she couldn't help but let out a laugh. "How sweet of you."

In her laugh, he completely forgot his anger, instead feeling nothing but happiness in her presence once more. "What can I say," he responded.

"Well thank you. I definitely had better things to do than be dragged by a horse."

"I imagine so."

She rubbed the bandages softly, hesitating shyly before leaning towards him, planting a sweet kiss on his cheek.

He stayed with her until the sun rose. The doctor came and went, changing Rin's bandages and advising her to stay off of her feet for a few days. Only after she had eaten once more and left for the bathhouse did Len leave her, allowing a pair of guards to escort him to the king's sitting room at Brighton's request.

When he entered, he was surprised to see his own parents there as well, sitting on the sofa with Lily in her usual chair across from them. Whatever conversation they exchanged halted when the door opened. The fire crackled loudly in the fireplace, keeping the outside cold at bay.

Brighton turned towards the prince as he entered, leaning against his table with his arms crossed. The history book Len had thrown down on it days before was now closed, pushed against the wall.

"How is she?" The king greeted him.

"She's doing well," Len answered. The king had come to visit his daughter once since her return. Len imagined he was pretty busy.

Brighton nodded. "The second half of soldiers returned."

"What? When?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

"And?"

Brighton couldn't help a small smile. "The Tohoku prince is sitting in the deepest level of our dungeons."

Len understood his satisfaction. "What will you do with him?"

"I'm not sure yet. First, we must worry about Rin. Then I will think about it."

He nodded. "How many men did we lose?"

It was his father who answered. "Of the hundred that left, ninety-six returned."

Len widened his eyes in surprise. Tohoku must have not put up much of a fight at all.

"Three of them our own," Ken finished.

Brighton stood a bit straighter, lowering his hands to the table. "The attack was… an astounding success. However there are still four families in the village now missing one of their own. We plan to have a public funeral for them all, and we wish for you to attend."

"Of course. The princess will want to come as well," he added, catching himself at the last moment before he referred to her by her name.

The king nodded. "If she is better, she may. But only if."

In the back of his mind, Len knew she would attend whether she walked or crawled.

Brighton's eyes flickered to the ground. "I… I had almost entirely given up hope when the guards told me you were spotted coming out of the forest," he began, clearly uncomfortable. "If you hadn't called those men together, I don't think she would have came back."

"She is smart," he answered. "She would have found a way."

The king let out a laugh. "And I know you didn't go after her because you were supposed to," he continued. "Because you never do what you're supposed to."

"Bruno!" Lily scolded.

But Len couldn't help but smile. It seemed Rin's father was finally beginning to understand.

"I know you went after her because you wanted to. And-" He took a deep breath. "That is the main reason I wanted to speak with you."

Len raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with all eyes on him.

"I'm afraid I've been to harsh on you, and I-" He cut himself off. "Ah, you get it. Tohoku's betrayal hasn't changed my mind about my daughter. She still needs to be married. And…" He turned to the other adults in the room. "It seems pretty obvious to us that you two would make a good pair."

It might have been the first time in Len's life that he felt his cheeks flush red. His smile disappeared, replaced by an expression of pure shock. A moment passed before he realized they were waiting for him to say something. "I-I don't know what the princess would think-"

"Then ask her," Kaori told him with a smile.

Len's eyes flickered between the four of them before landing on Brighton, who nodded in confirmation.

"O- Okay," he finally said. "Is there anything else you need me for?"

"No, boy. You may go," the king answered with a small smile.

Len nodded, fleeing hastily from the room.

"Did you see his face?" Kaori asked her husband with a dumbfounded expression once her son had gone. "I never thought I would see the day where _my son_ would be devoid of words."

"Ah," Lily cooed, eyeing Bruno with a smile. "The joys of young love."


	23. Chapter 23

Two weeks later, Len stood next to the princess at the edge of the river, both of their families and the citizens of Khaesea behind them, as he and a few other of the guards pushed the wooden barge into the flowing waters. The small boat contained belongings of the four fallen soldiers, placed by their families. It was full of food, drawings of the fallen, clothes, hats, and other mementos. It floated off peacefully while the people watched.

Len took a few moments, forcing his mind to silence its worries while he acknowledged their brave sacrifices, and then immediately thought of the girl standing next to him once again.

He could not find one moment in the last two weeks that seemed appropriate to inform her of her father's permissions and ask her how she felt about them. He had considered it since the moment he stepped foot out of Brighton's study, but Rin was too busy healing to worry about him. Plus, her last husband-to-be attempted to kidnap her twice, and Len figured she wouldn't be eager to have another one.

She watched the raft float down the river, sniffling at the sight of the families nearby. One woman stood with two small children, watching it float away silently. Another stood completely alone, trying to contain her sobs in a handkerchief held in front of her face. As much as Rin was glad to be home, the sight of the families broke her heart.

"They knew what they were getting in to," Len offered, as if reading her mind. He leaned closer to her so that no one else would hear. "They knew the risks and they did it anyway."

"They died for me," she said softly.

"And now you're safe. It's what they wanted."

She nodded, finding only a little solace in his words. Her eyes flickered back to the families, only to instantly flinch back to the river.

Len sighed, looking down at her with worried eyes.

He had come close to asking her a few days ago, when the two of them found themselves alone in the library. With Mei still missing, there were no maesters to regulate who entered and who did not, so they came and went as they pleased. The guards no longer treated Len like an undercover assassin, and even Rin's father was content letting them roam the castle alone.

They had ventured up to the highest floor Len had ever walked on, though several more stories still stretched between them and the skylights. Rin had escorted him around the shelves, but he had been unable to pay attention, his mind racing over the fact that they were alone and in her favorite place. It had been perfect. But just as he was thinking of how to bring the subject up-

"Len?" She had asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah?" He was holding an open book, staring down at the words but not reading them. "Sorry, what'd you say?"

"I was asking whether you wanted to stick with fiction or nonfiction."

"Well, either sounds fine."

She had been offering a book to him, but at his inattention, she lowered it with a frown. "Are you okay? You've been acting strange lately."

Red alarms sounded in Len's head. "I'm fine."

"You know you can talk to me if you need to, right?"

Just say it, he had thought to himself. You don't have to dance around it. Just say it.

But the words did not come out. Instead, he only nodded. "I know."

She furrowed her brow, still unsure, then turned her back, furthering her exploration into the shelves.

And Len continued to worry up until this moment, as the raft slowly disappeared around the corner and out of sight.

Only much later that night did Rin lighten up. The somber funeral quickly turned into an extravagant celebration of the soldier's lives, with their families given seats close to the royal family in the ballroom. People laughed and joked with them, remembering the men with fond smiles. Len was among the soldiers, opting to sit with the families instead of at the head of the room, mostly to keep his mind on honoring the dead instead of proposing to the princess.

Rin poked at her food, slowly gaining her appetite. She caught herself glancing towards Len more than a few times, even suppressing her laughter when one of the little girls, who could not have been older than five or six, walked up to him and wrapped her entire hand around one of his fingers, pulling him towards the dance floor. While the adults had been dancing across the ballroom for a while to the upbeat waltz music, he had yet to venture out himself. He chuckled down at the girl, along with her family, who sat close by, and dropped down to his knees so he matched her height. The little girl laughed hysterically as Len swung her around near the table.

"I thought I taught you it was rude to stare," Rin's mother suddenly chimed in from next to her.

"Mother!" Rin scolded, feeling a blush creep up her face. "I am not."

"You don't have to lie to me," Lily told her with a grin. "I was young once, too."

I'm not staring," Rin insisted.

Lily found it quite amusing that the Kagamine prince had yet to ask her daughter for her hand. The fear of the Empire that had stolen his home from him was nothing; he had ridden towards that danger with unending determination. But to ask a girl for marriage? He had not yet found the courage. It seemed the prince was not quite as tough as he believed.

"I like him," Lily told her daughter, keeping her thoughts to herself. It seemed everyone in the castle except for the princess knew of Len's situation. "He is not so bad as I once thought."

Rin smiled at this, allowing herself to look back at the prince as he continued to sway with the little girl. "I do, too."

Lily turned towards her husband, raising an eyebrow. He had been listening to their conversation.

"You're excused, Rin," he told her, tapping a finger on his goblet.

The words had barely left his mouth before Rin shot up from the table and danced down the steps.

"Again! Again!" The little girl squealed with laughter, holding her arms up towards Len.

"Now, now. I'm not the only person who wants to dance with you! It would be rude of me to keep you away from everyone," he said with a grin. Her mother sat at the table behind her, laughing along with them.

"Come, Ava," her mother called. "The prince has other duties."

The little girl - Ava - pouted for only a moment, before waving goodbye to Len and sitting down with her mother.

"Well that was adorable," a familiar voice came from behind him. He turned to see the princess. In his chest, he felt his heart begin to flutter.

He shrugged. "I mean… she asked."

"I think you made her night." Rin, as always, was the most eye-catching person in the room. Tonight, her dress was golden, glittering in the light of the chandeliers.

"Anything for the people," he responded, finding it difficult to conjure words.

"Well," Rin clasped her hands behind her back. After a small pause, "May I ask, too?"

He grinned, holding out a hand. "You never have to ask."

It was less than a second before they were off into the crowds.

While their first dance had been pleasant in its own thrilling way, Rin found herself enjoying the second time much more. With every step, turn, and dip, she did not have to worry about her father scolding her, the guards watching her, or the people muttering about her. Instead, she could fully enjoy her time with the prince, a permanent smile embedded on her face.

And yet, the prince did not share it. She had known for the past few days that something was going on with him, and he refused to tell her. With a chill, she wondered if he had begun to lose interest in her.

"Have you talked to my father?" she asked in an attempt to start a conversation. They continued to dance as she spoke.

For a moment, he looked alarmed. "About what?"

So it has something to do with him, she thought to herself. "About our next move. What will we do with Kai?"

He relaxed. So it is not the war. Interesting. "We've spoken a little, but we haven't decided on anything yet."

"What are we waiting for?"

He hesitated. "Your father has… other things on his mind."

Rin narrowed her eyes. She felt almost betrayed at her exclusion from the war councils, but every person in this palace personally saw to it that she heal first. While appreciated, it was incredibly frustrating. "Like what?"

They glided along the floor, Rin's dress flowing behind them like ripples behind a swimmer. Len said nothing.

She let out a huff. "Why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"It's… hard to talk about."

Okay, at least he can admit there is something. "Should I be worried?"

"No! No," he answered almost too quickly. "It's nothing like that."

As the two of them conversed, they did not notice the couples slowly thin out, allowing the royal couple more room. The people watched with smiles and giggles as the two of them, completely inattentive to everything but each other, continued to dance.

"Then what is it?" She was nearly begging now. "I'm dying to know."

"Your father still wants you married," he suddenly blurted out.

The words hit her like the brittle air of a winter night. "Of course he does," she muttered, her mood beginning to spoil. "Do… do you know who?"

He averted his eyes. "Yes."

"Who?"

Len took a deep breath. "I will tell you," he promised. "But first, just dance with me a little longer."

Her worried expression slowly morphed into a thrilled smile. "I would love to." It makes sense, she thought, remembering his somber mood from the many days before. We're right back where we started.

In his mind, he wondered if this would be the last time they would ever dance together. Of course not, he told himself. She hasn't spent a moment away from you in weeks. Why wouldn't she say yes? But no matter how much he tried to convince himself, his nerves did not settle.

A new song began, and Len pulled her along to the slow waltz. She twirled and turned along the smooth marble floors, admiring the musicians playing near her table. Glancing towards them, she quickly realized that her and Len were the only two on the dance floor.

But he did not notice, instead allowing himself to admire the girl before him. Her beautiful, wandering eyes, the gentle flow of her hair as they danced. The small curves of her lips into that smile she constantly wore, the elegant way in which she carried herself; gently feminine but also determined and strong. Would he ever see her like this again? He could not tell.

Around them, the people crowded the tables, watching intently as they spun. Len's sisters mingled among them. Kokone stood with Lenka, having just cleared the floor with the others to allow their older brother to dance. Lenka watched with an open-mouthed smile, bouncing to the beat and pulling on Kokone's skirts in excitement. The eldest Kagamine sister could only smile at the happiness her brother seemed to have found. Never before had she seen a country on the brink of war so filled with joy.

The thought was shared by Rin's father, sitting next to Ken and watching the two dance as well. There was a long, hard road ahead of them, but even in the darkest time, his daughter was able to find something to celebrate. With the two families united, they would have the largest kingdom, the most soldiers, and the most allies of either side. It would not be easy, but they could do it.

The music reached its peak. Rin let out a laugh at the loud, intense playing of the musicians as her and Len naturally sped up their steps to keep pace. They circled the floor, passing the wall of people that had formed. At one point, Rin could have sworn she heard little Lenka yell something at them from right next to her, but before she could look, they were gone.

It was not long before the music slowed once again and the two found themselves in the middle of the floor. It slowed to a gentle halt, dragging out the final note sweetly until the violinist lowered his instrument. The room erupted into applause, both of them in sort of a haze from the experience. Rin gently grabbed the sides of her dress skirts between her thumb and forefinger, lowering into a curtsy as was expected. Once she rose, it was Len's turn to bow, but he didn't. To her curiosity, he only watched her for a moment as the applause and cheers continued to ring out.

And then, instead of bowing, he lowered to one knee.

The applause halted instantly. Lily couldn't help the beaming smile that spread across her face. Even Brighton's heart warmed at the sight, and Len's parents watched excitedly as well. Kaori reached for her handkerchief in preparation for tears.

Rin furrowed her brow, confused. In an instant, the reality of the situation dawned on her, and her hands flew to her mouth to hide her ecstatic smile. She felt tears well in her eyes.

Len took a deep breath, taking her reaction as encouragement. There was no going back now. "Princess Rin, of house Brighton," he began, loud enough for the entire room to hear. Rin was not the only one holding her breath; the tension in the room was so high, he wondered how it didn't burst. He pulled his mind back, trying desperately not to lose his focus. "Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

Lily cast a glance towards Kaori. As expected, she was quietly sobbing in her seat.

Rin was not far off, looking down at him with blurry eyes. She cast a quick glance towards her parents, her father nodding in her direction. Once her eyes returned to the boy in front of her, she wished this moment would last forever, unable to believe how quickly her situation had turned from dire to a fairy tale like the ones she had read as a child. She spent so long savoring the moment that only Len's raised eyebrows brought her back, realizing she had been standing there silently for several seconds.

She furiously nodded her head, extending her arms and wrapping them over his shoulders.

He stood, nearly laughing with relief, as the room began its cheer once more, much louder this time. Rin sobbed onto his shoulder, unable to believe her luck, and he hugged her tightly and comfortingly.

"It's alright," he said, looking around the celebrating room. He saw Kokone, clapping in the crowd with Lenka at her heels. Lily stood from her chair and ran over to his mother, hugging her tightly. There wasn't a single frown in the room.

"It's alright," he repeated.

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_And that's a wrap! I hope you guys enjoyed this one :) _

_Thanks for reading! _


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